


Carpe Diem (EXO Hogwarts AU)

by ArgentRose



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Age Changes, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Angst, Declarations Of Love, First Kisses, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Hogwarts drama, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, My knowledge of the Hogwarts layout comes from the HP video games, Roughly Similar Ages, Slightly Crack-ish, Slow Burn, So it may not be the most accurate?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2020-11-28 01:33:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 56,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20958242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArgentRose/pseuds/ArgentRose
Summary: Alongside the utter turmoil that comes with being a Hogwarts student, romance runs rampant in the lives of twelve. It starts with the primary four, the mischievous group of students dubbed The Four Horsemen of Hogwarts. Amidst all the chaos, sometimes the only thing someone could do is seize the moment...Main ships: Kaisoo, XiuChen, ChanBaek, Taoris, HunHan, SuLay(AKA my purely self-indulgent EXO Royal 6 Ships fluff compilation with a Hogwarts setting because honestly, I thought about all of these scenarios way too much.)





	1. Reminisce

**Author's Note:**

> Carpe diem - (/ˌkärpā ˈdēˌem/) used to urge someone to make the most of the present time and give little thought to the future.
> 
> ~~~
> 
> 🚨 DISCLAIMER: 🚨 This work is not intended to infringe upon the original work/works' copyright. This was made PURELY for entertainment purposes ONLY. All representations of the characters/people featured are not meant to reflect upon any of the Real Life people. Relationships featured are not to be reflected upon the Real Life people. To reiterate, this is for ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY, and just because the work features a specific relationship does NOT mean that I want the featured characters together IN REAL LIFE.

When the crisp air in London starts to turn wet and cold, everyone knows that it was autumn. And come autumn, London's witches and wizards are sent to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. So seeing the plethora of excited, giddy, and nervous faces bunched together on the platform was another sight that was beyond welcoming for Jongin. There’s a big smile on his face and a childlike awe in his eyes as he pushes his trolley to the train car. His mother is following right behind him, along with his two older sisters, as the time for him to board grows ever near. Once he parks the trolley car, he turns to face his mother, almost tearing when she has that sad look in her eye again because she had to kiss her baby boy goodbye for another long school year. He bends down to kiss her forehead before pulling her into a comfortably tight bear hug. She does not cry (yet), even when he gives a few quick hugs to his sisters. But when he finally has to board the train, Jongin tries not to cry because he can hear his mother sniffling when he went down the train car to search for his seat. He decides to send her a letter as soon as he arrives at the castle, along with any pretty flowers he finds there. He nods to himself, pleasantly satisfied once he sets his plan in stone.

The familiar howls of laughter echo down the tight walkways of the train car. He passes maybe one or two compartments on his left before he squeezes himself into the empty space of the last compartment in the car. As soon as he sits down, he is engulfed in a really long hug by his friend that might as well be considered a half-giant (but really isn’t).

“It’s been way too long, Nini!” Chanyeol shouts as a big goofy smile creases his eyes. “Hun, Tao and I were just talking about how you probably got lost on the way to our compartment.”

Jongin laughs as he waves to his other two friends, Zitao and Sehun. “It isn’t difficult to find you guys; your screams could be heard from the other side of the train car.”

Once the whistle from the conductor sounds, the train releases out a loud bellow. Then with a heft, it tugs all of the train cars behind it as it pushes forward. The four wave to all of the familiar and unfamiliar faces on Platform Nine and Three-Quarters before making themselves comfortable. Then they begin to spill absolutely everything that happened over their summer break. Zitao talks about how he and his father took a (pretty boring) business trip to the Ministry of Magic. Course, he doesn’t offer much more insight, other than the fact that he was pretty much confined to his father’s office while he attended a business meeting. After that, Sehun talks about how he and his family went camping in the Forest of Dean. He gesticulates wildly as he explains how his brother ended up with a broken nose, saying it was really stupid while also laughing at his older brother’s misery. Chanyeol says his summer was really exciting and then talks for ages about how he and his boyfriend Baekhyun stayed in a beach cottage in Wales with their family. When Jongin’s turn came, he simply tells them about how he spent most of the summer in his hometown of Godric’s Hollow, purposefully leaving out the part where he visited his father’s grave just a week before he had to go back to school.

Then they joke about how this school year is going to be different and talk about how they’re all going to get a relationship (except for Chanyeol whose already got the love of his life at his side, except for right now as his boyfriend is in another train car). And then they start to bicker over who was going to pay for the huge bundle of sweets that they were buying from the trolley witch (Zitao ends up paying because, as the other three had put it, he was the one with the most galleons out of the lot of them).

In all honesty, Jongin couldn’t be more happy about how things were going at Hogwarts. At first, he had been insanely nervous to attend but with the urging from his father, he did end up going. As his first year progressed, he met Zitao, Sehun, and Chanyeol, and the rest is history. They’re a very tightly knit group, never going too far from one another (except for when they have to report back to their houses because unfortunately, they were all split up into different houses...except for Jongin and Chanyeol). They’re also a bunch of mischievous children and have basically been dubbed by all of Hogwarts as “The Four Horsemen of Hogwarts.” (As a result, they’re usually the ones to blame if any of their respective houses lose house points.) Jongin lets out a happy sigh--he wouldn’t trade any of this for the world.

He guesses that maybe Zitao, who’s sitting on his left, had heard him sigh so merrily because he asks, “So you found someone that you’re absolutely smitten with?”

Jongin laughs and shakes his head. He finishes the last of his chocoball before deciding to fish for something else in the nest of candy that’s stuck between him and Zitao. He picks up a pouch of jelly slugs. “I wish, Tao. But there hasn’t been anyone cute these past four years.”

“Sounds like Jongin’s a player,” Chanyeol manages to say. It’s difficult to talk when one has a whole cauldron cake in his mouth. He tries not to laugh when Zitao looks at him in disgust.

“Am not! If you want a player, Tao’s the player.”

“No no no, it’s Sehun!” Zitao fires back, narrowly avoiding a swipe when Sehun tries to hit his knee. “I haven’t flirted with anyone since first year!”

“I’d say something about Chanyeol,” Sehun says slowly. He takes a bite of his pumpkin pasty before he continues. “But he has a boyfriend.”

“Safe and sound!” The tall man says triumphantly as he pretends to languidly stretch his arms to rest his head on. Somehow, he managed to chew the whole of a cauldron cake and swallow it down. “But in all seriousness, though, is there anyone that you guys are actually into?”

“Too focused on family,” Jongin says honestly. It wasn’t a lie by any stretch. Ever since the passing of his father, he had no time to really try to fit anyone else into his life. Losing someone so close to him left a nasty, large empty whole in his heart. Plus, he and his sisters were working to console their mother, so he hadn’t really been actively looking.

“What about that one boy that you were fawning over in our first year?” Sehun asks. “You know, the one with the big doe eyes and the heart-shaped lips?”

Honestly..._ honestly... _Jongin had forgotten about him. As he’s trying to put together a face, someone walks past them. His jaw drops and his eyes go wide because what do you know? Speak of the devil (or rather in Jongin’s eyes, the angel) himself. He does not mistaken the blue robe that signifies one of Ravenclaw house, nor does he mistaken those familiar doe eyes and heart-shaped lips that are pulled into a small smile as its owner looks down the hall. The boy walks past too quickly for his liking, and he immediately forgets about the sweets beside him as he presses his face to the compartment window, drool threatening to run from the corner of his lips.

When the boy is out of his sight, he whips back around and grabs Zitao’s arm, shaking wildly as he looks in the direction that the boy went. Chanyeol bursts out laughing, Sehun’s trying to hide a smile, and Zitao’s trying to get his arm back. “Guys guys guys! Did you see him?! He was right there!”

“Yes, we saw him,” the Slytherin says begrudgingly, “now can you let go of my arm?”

Jongin could only stare in awe. Then his heart is racing because wow was that boy so close to him! But he also probably made himself look like an idiot because these stupid windows are not one way (though he’s partially grateful for that). But as quickly as his heart rises, it sinks because he got absolutely no attention from the Ravenclaw that walked past.

“He didn’t notice me,” he mutters sadly. With a very pouty lip.

“One of these days, sweet little Nini,” Chanyeol assures him. He leans across the vast expanse of the compartment to rub his friend’s leg. “Maybe this will be your lucky year?”

Jongin could really only pray. Because he really likes that boy, and he wants to at least get to know him before the next two years are up.

* * *

Kyungsoo stifles a laugh as he walks down the cramped hall to where his friends had announced they were sitting. There were plenty of people that he had passed that were smiling and chatting amongst each other. He swears he might have seen something weird out of the corner of his eye in one of the compartments he walked by, but it wasn’t like he was really paying attention, so he just brushes it off. One of the younger students might have gotten punched into the glass, and if this was school grounds, he might have taken points from whatever house the group of children were in. But this was the Hogwarts Express, and he didn’t have the authority to do that.

Well...not yet anyway.

When he casts a glance into the upcoming compartment, he stops, slides the door open with one hand, and sends a friendly smile to his two friends who are sitting across from each other. He would scoff, but it isn’t like he hasn’t seen this for a few years now.

“Good afternoon, Kyungsoo,” one of them greets, flashing an equally bright smile. He thinks he saw a small flame of jealousy in his other friend’s eye, but he disregards it. The two of them should know by now that all of this was just friendly gestures, but apparently, both of them have failed to pick that up. It made you wonder why (or really, _ how _) they got sorted into Ravenclaw.

“Afternoon, Jongdae,” he replies, sitting down beside him. He opens his book and continues to read where he left off. His friend in the other seat scoffs.

“More reading, Kyungsoo?”

“Yes, but I’m not sure that’s something your dubious little brain can handle.”

Jongdae cackles, ignoring the stink eye that Minseok sends him across the way. “Come off it, Min! You know he’s just kidding.”

Kyungsoo and Minseok scowl at each other before the doe-eyed male has half a mind to continue with his book. He pretends to ignore the other two as they chat away. Their conversations, though usually entertaining, aren’t things he enjoyed being wrapped up in. And for good reason sometimes too. Things always end up awkward in the end, and there’s always a good chance that at least one of them would turn to him to keep it going (because it has always been like that for the past four years). He seriously wonders when at least one of them would start to pick up on the other’s inane attempts at flirting because honestly, they’ve been doing this stupid little dance for _ years _ (and yes, Kyungsoo _ has _kept track since the three of them met in their first year).

He is just about to flip a page of the book he is not actually reading when a hand taps his shoulder. There’s a heavy sigh that falls from his lips as he glances at Jongdae, who has a very sheepish grin on his face. Maybe this would tip Minseok off the scale (and he is honestly sure that it does), but he still has half a mind to ignore the brainless buffoon.

“So you’re prefect this year, right, Soo?” Jongdae asks. He fumbles shyly with his sleeve, and already, Kyungsoo could see Minseok’s cheeks dusting a light pink.

“Yep,” he answers simply.

Both Minseok and Jongdae exchange glances. Why their little Kyungsoo (though one could argue that he was slightly taller than Minseok himself) was not in the mood to talk was beyond them.

“So what do you do as prefect?” Minseok asks. If he remembered some of the prefects from earlier years, they were particularly merciless, especially the Slytherin prefects. It bordered to the point of being unfair and honestly, he had to admit that he was a slight twinge intimidated by them. So the fact that one of his best friends is the Ravenclaw prefect for their upcoming school year was...off putting. But maybe he could learn to like it...maybe.

“I know that look you’re giving me, Min, and no, I won’t let things slide because you two are my best friends.”

“That’s a great way to lose said best friends, Soo. Be wary,” the shortest says rather menacingly. Though there’s no threat behind it.

“And to answer your question, I’m supposed to patrol the Hogwarts Express, patrol the castle for bad students out of bed, and I can freely issue detentions.”

“That last one sounds fun,” Jongdae says sarcastically as he rolls his eyes.

“I should give you both detention for saying stupid things.”

Maybe there’s a threat behind that, but regardless, the three fill their small space with laughter.

Kyungsoo closes his book, taking a quick peek at his watch. Then he stands, slides the book into one of the pockets of his robes, and turns to the door. “I have to get to the prefects meeting in another carriage. I’ll see you two later at the castle?”

“Of course!” Jongdae flashes him a smile. “We’ll wait for you.”

With a departing smile and wave, Kyungsoo closes the door and heads down the compartment. Hopefully those two would have enough time while he’s away at the meeting and patrol to sort things out. Because he does _ not _ want to be tethered to their romantic obliviousness anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some things!  
-The format of chapter titles will be that of NAME [LOCATION]. The location listed will be related to the first scene that takes place in the chapter (they will hop around after, but for the most part, the location listed will always be relative to where the chapter starts).  
For those who are curious, with those introduced, their houses are:  
-Gryffindor: Sehun  
-Slytherin: Tao  
-Hufflepuff: Kai, Chanyeol  
-Ravenclaw: D.O, Xiumin, Chen  
*partially based on headcanon and/or story purposes
> 
> Please feel free to let me know your thoughts! It's always fun to engage with you all, even if I'm absolutely slow to get to the comments.


	2. Convoluted Concerns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following the train ride, friends Chanyeol, Jongin, Sehun, and Zitao split up to their respective houses. Amidst resettling into their home away from home, the four pick up on concerns of the convoluted and romantic variety.

Zitao understands when he has to be polite. He understands that he must respect his elders. But he’s bored out of his mind at the Slytherin table; there is only so much he could stand listening to the same boring lecture about school rules and student safety over and over again. His head is resting on the palm of his hand as he stares blankly at the headmaster. He’s definitely hearing the words that are being said to the crowded tables, but absolutely nothing is registering in his mind. It just sort of goes through one ear and out the other. Sure, this will definitely come to bite him in the ass, but really, he can’t be bothered. He’s been here for four years now, going right into his fifth. He’s basically heard it all, and if he didn’t hear it...well, the prefects will go over everything anyway so he could just get what the headmaster said from them. Plus, they boil it down into understandable words so he wouldn’t have to think as much.

Sometimes he wished that he was sorted into another house or wished that his friends were sorted into the same house with him. It would definitely make things a lot more entertaining. Chanyeol and Jongin were honestly lucky that they just happened to be in the same house. Both he and Sehun had not lucked out, sorted into houses that were basically the enemy of each other (not that the rivaling houses thing ever really put a strain in their friendship). He glances over to the Gryffindor table, eyes catching the familiar bunch of slicked blond hair as the young man was talking enthusiastically (in hushed tones) with another student (who Zitao assumed was a year older because he didn’t recognize the guy...then again, he didn’t really know many people outside of his circle of friends).

With an overly dramatic sigh, he turns away and stares at his plate of food. He grabs the cup of pumpkin juice in front of him and just drinks. He’s half tempted to get up and walk out, but if his parents were here, they’d lecture him until he was crying in the comfort of his bed. Not that they were here, but he’s scared that him getting up in the middle of a speech would make them apparate into the center of the room and humiliate him in front of the four houses. So he remains in his seat, sipping quietly at his drink, counting the minutes until it was over.

Maybe he’d sneak out while everyone else was getting ready to head to bed? He had honestly never done it by himself, and the thought of going out into the dark without anyone else sent chills down his spine. Unless that was the artificial wind that the Great Hall was blowing through. Probably that--he was not a coward by any means.

Because of his exhaustion, he is caught off guard when everyone suddenly rises. A strong grip on the hood of his robes pulls him up and he stumbles over the bench (thank Merlin he didn’t fall). He grumbles to the person who pulled his hood, insisting that he indeed was capable of getting out by himself.

They laugh, and he can’t tell whether the harmonious laugh warms his heart or sends more chills down his spine. “Sure” was all they said to him before they shuffle past him like everything never even happened.

Zitao gapes, staring at all the heads moving to the exit of the large hall. Someone shouts behind him to move, so he does. As he walks out, he fixes the hood of his robes and just mindlessly follows the crowd of Slytherins that head to the dungeons. He decides to skip out on his little adventure; the mood was soiled already.

* * *

Sehun lets out a sigh once he’s allowed himself to fall flat onto his four poster bed, limbs outstretched until he’s like a starfish on a rock. He doesn’t know why, but he feels absolutely _ drained _. Maybe it’s just his body being ready to shut down because of a food coma? He did eat a lot on both the train and in the Great Hall (but the food and treats were well deserved). Someone taps him gently on the shoulder, and when he turns his head, his eyes meet very sleepy ones. There’s a dimpled smile on the face that he’s staring at. It wakes him up just a bit.

“Hey, Yixing!” He exclaims, bouncing up to embrace his roommate in a warm hug.

“Good evening, Sehun,” he replies, smile still present. “How was your summer?”

“Oh it was great! And tiring. My family and I went camping out in the Forest of Dean, so I had some practice with magic since my brother asked me to duel.” He pauses. He’s talking too much again. “Anyways. How about yours?”

“My father took me to St. Mungo’s,” Yixing says rather openly. Sehun didn’t think that something like going to a hospital should be said so openly, but it is Yixing. He was pretty open about most things. Plus, he was good with people, and he goes on frequently about how he loves to help. Sehun also guesses that he made a face because Yixing is laughing and waving to him to excuse something. “No, he isn’t sending me there. I wanted to visit and since he works there, he said yes.”

“So you still have aspirations to help people?”

“Of course! Whenever I can, really. It makes me sad that people are sent there, and even worse when people use it as a threat...you know how some of the Slytherins are to the first years. They always tell them that they should be in St. Mungo’s.”

It isn’t hard for Sehun to notice the distressed look in Yixing’s eyes. There’s a vast range of emotions in them. Confliction, confusion, pain. Plus, his dimpled smile is gone. He looks like he’s watched someone tear his heart in half. It hurts to see him look so bummed, Sehun thinks, so he stands and embraces him. “You’re going to make a huge difference for the people there, Yixing. They’ll absolutely love to have you taking care of them.”

“Thank you, Sehun,” he says, arms wrapping around the taller man’s back. “It means a lot to me.”

They detangle when the noise from the stairs comes closer. Their other roommates were probably on their way back after hanging out in the Great Hall, and are probably all exhausted. Sehun can’t blame them, and neither could Yixing. So the two climb into their respective beds, diving under the covers to hide from the other bodies entering the room. When the lights are out, it doesn’t take long for either of them to drift off into sleep.

* * *

Chanyeol had long ditched a very tired Jongin, and while he felt partially guilty for doing that to one of his best friends, he doesn’t feel as bad because he’s tangled in a small four poster bed with the love of his life. Baekhyun’s rectangular smile has his heart doing somersaults. Baekhyun’s laugh has his stomach filled way too quickly with fireworks. The way his eyes turn into little crescents causes him to lay a million kisses into the milky skin beneath him.

“Park Chanyeol!” He laughs. “You get off of my bed at once!”

“Never!”

He plants a few kisses upon those smiling lips. His heart is absolutely soaring right now.

“Channie, if you don’t, I will personally jinx you so that you don’t work anymore.”

Chanyeol pouts then (while trying really hard to fight back the smile that’s trying to creep its way onto his lips). “But Baekhyunnie, I can’t sleep by myself!”

“Of course you can, you big goof.”

“Baek!”

“Channie, I’m warning you. On the count of three, if you aren’t off this bed…”

His pout fades and instead, he plants a few more loving kisses onto Baekhyun’s lips before climbing off the small man. “You’re no fun, Hyunnie.”

Before Baekhyun could retort anything remotely inappropriate about letting his boyfriend have fun later, he listened as their roommates Junmyeon and Jongin walk in through the circular door. Junmyeon is trying to comfort Jongin, and it doesn’t take a psychic to know what troubles are plaguing little Jongin’s mind. He hops off the bed and scurries over to throw his arms (maybe a little too dramatically) around the young man’s shoulders.

“Oh, Jonginnie! What’s the matter, baby boy?”

Jongin says nothing and goes to sit on his bed. Chanyeol already knows why he’s moping, and his friend hasn’t even uttered a single word. He could only guess that Baekhyun, being versed in romance and unrequited love for the longest time, already understands him and just continues to comfort him. Junmyeon, on the other hand, hasn’t been actively looking for anything romantic so it takes him a little while to understand. At least his horrendous dad jokes are bringing a slow smile on his friend’s face. As much as it makes him inwardly cringe.

“Just try to sleep, Nini bear,” Baekhyun coos. “Tomorrow will be a different day, okay, honey?”

Chanyeol is half tempted to just go smother his small boyfriend in kisses right then and there, but he withholds. Jongin’s heart is basically moping, so he can’t display his romance in front of his pining friend. Even if the latter was used to seeing it by now, but he didn’t want to rub salt on an open wound. He gives a comforting hug and shares some comforting words before Junmyeon ushers them all to bed.

Chanyeol stares at the top of his four poster bed, tilting his head this way and that to see that on his left, Baekhyun was already sound asleep. His mouth was hanging open in a perfect O-shape, little murmurs moving those beautiful lips at times. His heart goes flying to the moon and back again. On his right, Jongin is tossing and turning, sighing heavily at times.

“Chan,” he hears the troubled tanned man mutter.

“Yes, Jongin?”

“Do you think that...I could have something like you and Baek?”

He smiles and nods, even if Jongin can’t see him. “I do. You’re very lovable, very affectionate, and you wear your heart on your sleeve. There are definitely people who like that.”

Silence, but then… “Do you think he could like me?”

Oh. “The boy we saw on the train?”

“Yeah.”

He has to think about this for a few minutes. Again, he nods, but it isn’t like Jongin could see him. “Maybe yeah. Again, you’re lovable. Just give it some time.”

“But I’m running out of time,” he barely hears him mutter. If Baekhyun’s murmurs had occurred at the exact same time, then he might have missed it. “Don’t stress, Nini. Tao, Hun, and I will help you out no matter what, alright?”

“Yeah.” Another pause. “Thanks, Chanyeol.”

“Anytime.”

He hears a breathy sigh before there is a very quiet murmur of “goodnight Chanyeol.”

“Goodnight, Jongin,” he whispers back. But he barely registers that he said it because not ten minutes after, he’s sound asleep.

* * *

Minseok stares almost breathlessly at the young man in the bed to his right, heart throbbing loudly in his chest. He’s scared that the love of his life could hear it. What would he think? He can’t like him because he had said they were only friends. He’s half tempted to whisper the words that are just waiting anxiously on his tongue when a groan sounds behind him.

“You pining like this is annoying, Min,” Kyungsoo groans. “Just confess to him and be done with it.”

“That’s easy for you to say because you’re too heartless to like anyone,” Minseok snapped irritably, scared for a second when he hears Jongdae moving. He holds his breath until he stills, soft breathing starting once again. He exhales the breath he had held in his lungs, not that he even realized that he held one in the first place. “I can’t ruin what we have, Soo.”

“I should just give you two detention and see what happens.” He hears Kyungsoo chuckle. “Not that anything will because you will do the exact same thing that you’ve been doing for five years straight.”

“Why don’t you fall in love with your best friend and see how hard it is to confess to them?”

“Because love is for people who want to be distracted in life, Min. It’s for people who want nothing more than to do absolutely nothing.”

“Who hurt you?”

“Nobody...but I might as well say that it’s you two because you guys are so complicated that it isn’t even funny anymore.”

“When have feelings ever been funny?”

“Maybe two years ago when you started to really like him? It got less hilarious and more annoying the minute you plateaued.”

Minseok is tempted to just ignore the rude git on his left and focus solely on the handsome man on his right. But Kyungsoo is correct. He’s just stared and admired from a distance (okay, it isn’t that much of a distance), never really making a move. But how could you when the person you like is your best friend? He can’t risk losing everything he worked so hard to build up. Besides, he’s built his romance up once and watched it crumble with no time flat. Would he be ready for something like that again? What if it doesn’t end well?

“Go to sleep, Min,” Kyungsoo says after a long moment of silence. “Look, I know it’s tough, but just give the confession idea a shot some time this year, alright? It’ll be better to say something when you have time. If what you two have is strong enough, and the tide doesn’t blow over well, you can always stay as friends. That bond will be just as strong as a romantic one, if not stronger.”

“Yeah,” he whispers. He lets the words sink in. At some point, he would have to say something rather than say nothing at all. Because it would be better just to get this off his chest rather than have it build up inside of him, like it’s been doing for two years now. Okay, maybe for three years now. He turns on his back, tilting his head to the left. The prefect in the bed has stopped moving, breathing light and easy. “Thanks, Kyungsoo.”

He turns on his side to face Jongdae again. If he had drifted off into sleep early, he would have missed the silent “you’re welcome” directed at his back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still trying to figure out how the chapter system works on AO3, so if there are errors in the chapter notes, I apologize in advance! I think I have it sorted though haha.


	3. A Slight Disturbance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New developments occur, including a new potential crush, a possible hexing, and maybe even a little special brew called Amortentia.

Apart from the debacle in the Great Hall, Zitao had been able to go about his week with relative ease. Sure, classes were insanely brutal and his professors were not at all merciful because their O.W.L.s were coming up, but really...apart from that too, his fifth year was just swell so far. Well, that might have been a great way to put it if he wasn't getting bullied all of a sudden.

Him, a _ Slytherin _, getting bullied! What irony! (Mostly because it was usually Slytherins that bullied other houses.)

Sure, he wasn't a pureblood, but he wasn't a muggleborn. Not that he had any problems with them whatsoever (his father maybe, but not him). He was a half blood, and one would think that made him easy to ignore because he’s basically squished in the middle, but apparently, that didn't matter. Whoever was bullying him had to make sure that this unspoken rule of "pureblood or nothing" was known.

As soon as he goes to set his messenger bag down on a bench, something causes him to trip forward and release a loud yelp. A laugh sounds from behind one of the stone sconces when he finds himself on his hands and knees. He goes incredibly hot when embarrassment flushes his cheeks, and sighs irritably as a boy reveals himself. His hair is mostly dark with white-gold roots and his eyes are a piercing silvery blue that crinkle as he laughs. Zitao fumes--it’s that stupid quarter-veela. “Xiao.”

“Huang,” the quarter-veela greets, laugh subsiding into a smirk.

He lets out an exasperated sigh. “What do you want, veela?”

“Now where are your manners, half-blood?” He raises his wand, and Zitao swears he could see those eyes narrow like a harpy’s. An interested crowd has gathered around them in a tight circle. It felt like he was trapped in an arena. Before anything could start, however, a loud voice echoes across the courtyard.

“Xiao, Huang, what do you think you’re doing?”

The two freeze as a towering Slytherin prefect marches over, wand out and held ready. The crowd of students quickly disperse to give the prefect room to walk. Zitao’s cheeks might have flushed a shade darker as he stares at the handsome man that is suddenly standing beside him, mouth hung open just slightly. He closes it and quickly looks away as he gets to his feet. The strap of his shoulder bag sags over a shoulder as he clings the sack of books to his chest.

“Wu, what a surprise,” Xiao drawls as he tucks his wand away. “You always show just to ruin the fun.”

“Xiao, why don’t you be a good schoolboy and report to the head of Slytherin,” the prefect snaps, gesturing across the viaduct. “One week’s worth of detention should suffice for assaulting a student. Now go before I double that time.”

Xiao fumes before he stalks off. Zitao lets out a sigh of relief. His eyes go slightly wide when he notices the prefect walking off; he tightens his hold on his bag and races after him. He honestly has no idea what he hoped to accomplish.

“Hey,” he calls. “I wanted to say thank you!”

“Just doing my job,” the prefect says quickly.

“I was wondering, though, why didn’t you give me detention?”

Zitao almost backs away when the towering prefect turns on him. “I could if you really wanted me to.” Then he smirks and Zitao has to look away to hide the blush that threatens to permanently stain his cheeks. “But you’re cute so I’ll let you go. Unless you want to spend time with Xiao cleaning up after potions.”

He quickly waves his hands in protest. A sheepish and meek smile is plastered on his lips. “No no! That won’t be necessary. Thank you...er…”

“Kris.”

“Thank you, Kris.”

The prefect named Kris flashes him a smile that’s too perfect for Zitao’s young heart to handle before going to cross the viaduct. He still has his bag hugged close to his chest (almost like his panda plushie tucked in his bed) when he goes to safely sit down on a stone bench. His mind is still too focused on Kris, the man who saved him from more hexes from Xiao. His heart is still racing wildly as he thinks about Kris’s smile...how it shows off his perfectly straight and even row of pearly white teeth, how it crinkles his eyes just slightly but not to the point where they turn into crescents. Then he remembers how Kris called him cute, and he nearly faints. He’s so focused on how handsome Kris is that he’s completely oblivious to the people who have sat themselves beside him.

“So, our little panda has made a new friend?” The familiar loud voice of Chanyeol booms.

Jongin’s exclamation of utmost happiness for him follows not long after Chanyeol’s words. Then Sehun’s sudden string of questions interrogating who the lucky man that captured their panda’s heart was. Zitao answers rather obediently (maybe skipping some details like how he was basically smitten with the smile that took his breath away and how Kris had called him cute) before sighing contently.

“What did I say?” Chanyeol asks, trying to lean back into a nonexistent backrest. He catches himself before he falls backwards and scowls when Sehun laughs at him. “This year will definitely be different!”

“Do you know what year he’s in?” Jongin asks then. “Maybe he’s in our year? If he’s a prefect, he could have just been made one this year!”

“I don’t know, Jongin,” Sehun replies. He toys with the loose tie around his neck. “I haven’t seen him in our classes before.”

“Maybe we aren’t paying enough attention? I mean...we only ever really give each other our fullest attention anyway.”

“What do you think, Tao?”

Honestly, Jongin was right when he said that they only ever gave each other their fullest attention. He remembered watching Sehun talk to someone he personally didn’t recognize at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall when they first arrived at Hogwarts this year. But he never really did notice Kris until now. Was he always there? Did he transfer from Durmstrang or Beauxbotons? Then again, he hardly paid attention to that stuff...he shrugs. “I don’t know, but whatever the case, I want to get to know him. I need to get to know him.”

Chanyeol splutters beside him, acting as though he was offended. “You need to get to know him? But we’re all you need right here!”

Zitao shakes his head vehemently. “No. I mean, yeah. But no, I have to know him. He’s so attractive and…”

Sehun furrows his brows. “Tao?”

“What if he has a girlfriend?”

Utter silence. Sehun fidgets with his tie more until it threatens to come apart. Jongin wraps his arms around Zitao’s chest and leans his head on his shoulders. Chanyeol thumbs at his sleeve.

“We aren’t sure. I mean...did he say anything that implied he might?”

“I don’t know. Well…” Zitao hesitates, but he withholds a sigh. He might as well tell them the whole story. “Okay. I might as well tell you what happened.”

This seemed to snap the others into focus; Sehun let his tie hang loosely around his collar. Jongin sat up and dropped his arms to his sides, and Chanyeol pretended the sleeve of his robe didn’t exist. “Tell us everything,” they all said in unison. It might have freaked Zitao out just a little bit. But regardless, he does tell them everything. He tells them about how he was going to sit down, how Xiao had jinxed him to fall down, how Kris stopped them and gave Xiao detention, how he asked Kris why Zitao himself didn’t get detention, and finished the whole thing up with how Kris called him cute and smiled the most beautiful smile Zitao had ever seen in his entire life. Then he sighed dreamily again because he remembered being called cute and that smile took the daylight out of him.

“Doesn’t sound like he’s single,” Chanyeol says after his friend’s sigh. He remembered calling his little puppy of a boyfriend cute; he was showered with kisses before the older asked him out. “Maybe you should do what Baekhyun did and ask him out?”

Zitao stares at him, eyes wide, like he’s bewildered (he is though). “I--what?! I can’t do that! We hardly even know each other and the only thing he did was call me cute!”

“You are cute, though, not gonna lie,” Sehun mutters, smiling innocently when Zitao stares at him too. “Give it a shot. Maybe it won’t backfire on you.”

“And what if it does?”

“Then you can happily mope about him like how Jongin’s moping about that Ravenclaw of his.”

Jongin huffs. Zitao does the same thing. There was no way he was going to let himself face the heartbreak of rejection. Then again, not saying anything might as well be rejection. But he didn’t have the courage that Sehun had. He can’t walk up to someone and tell them how he felt. “I’ll think about it” is all he said before dropping the subject entirely. He’s thankful that his friends were willing to move on to another topic as well because now, the three are interrogating him about who attacked him. They don’t know about some student named “Xiao.”

“His first name is Luhan, if that rings any bells,” he answers. His lets his idle fingers toy with the loose thread on his sleeve. “He’s a sixth year, and he’s a Slytherin. But that’s all I know.”

“Why would he bully a fellow Slytherin? It just doesn’t make sense.”

A rather choked cough shakes his chest. “Because I’m not a pureblood.”

Sehun raises a brow. So this Luhan Xiao is bullying their friend Zitao because he isn’t a pureblood? If it was a muggleborn, then he could guess it made sense (even if he took offense to it). But a half-blood? Where would you ever get the satisfaction in picking on a half-blood? If he was a Slytherin, he would just pick on the purebloods to spite them all. “I call shenanigans! He’s probably jealous because you look cute.”

“Sehun, he’s part veela!”

Part what? Was he sick?

“Veela,” Zitao repeats. “You know, those really pretty semi-human magical beings; beautiful women with white-gold hair and skin that appears to shine moon-bright? They can basically lure men in to make them foolhardy and impulsive, which leads them to make stupid decisions?”

Sehun looked like he still wasn’t following. He opened his mouth once before closing it. Then he opened it again to, rather confusedly, point out, “But...veelas sound like they’re...and he’s…”

Tao huffs and waves it off. “Point being I’m probably not as pretty as him.”

“When has that ever mattered?”

“What if he likes Kris?”

“Who?”

“The prefect that said I was cute.”

Sehun almost laughs. Here was his best friend, worried that a “veela” (whatever the hell that is) was cuter than him, even if the guy he is crushing on just said he was cute. “Zitao, Kris said _ you’re _cute. Do you really think that he’d have his eye on anyone else if he just told you that you were cute.”

“He could have been flirting.”

“And what does it mean if a person flirts with you?”

“They…” Zitao stops. His heart races in his chest. Could that mean that Kris possibly liked him? “...Do you think he could like me?”

The three of them crack under the naivety and shower the courtyard in guffaws. Zitao punches them all before cracking a small smile. “This is serious, guys!”

“Yes, he probably likes you.”

“Just give it some time,” Chanyeol adds, trying to suppress his laughter. “See if anything else happens.”

Zitao nods, letting out a sigh of relief. His shoulders sag just slightly as some of his tensions ease up. He still has absolutely no idea how he wanted to approach this new anomaly in his life. Before he could ask his friends about their day (and why they didn’t show up when he was being harassed by Luhan), Jongin’s eyes go wide as he stares at the Ravenclaw that suddenly crosses the courtyard. Like on the train, he grabs and shakes Zitao’s arm, hissing, “There he is!”

When the other three look over, they definitely do see the boy Jongin’s got his heart set on. Behind him is two others, both roughly the same height, and both arguing with each other (or at least, gesticulating wildly with fierce gazes on their face).

* * *

Jongdae just _ knows _ that Kyungsoo is about ready to hex the two people he’s been calling his best friends. They had just left the Great Hall and are rushing to potions because they are all late. Not extremely late, but if they walk any slower, they might as well declare themselves absent. While the doe-eyed male leads them all to the potions classroom, both he and Minseok were arguing fiercely about who was at fault for failing to keep track of time. They pretty obviously leave the irritated boy in front of them out of this because they know it is best to never bring Kyungsoo into their arguments (even though they do sometimes). By the time they push the door open, the entire class is looking at them. Their professor simply motions for them to enter, and the various Ravenclaws and Slytherins in the room watch them as they take their places amongst the crowd that slowly begins to gather around the professor.

“Welcome, class. As you have already completed your O.W.L.s, we will proceed into Golpalott’s Third Law and poisons and their antidotes. Now, unlike the previous years, we will start this class off with what may be everyone’s favorite potion, Amortentia. Can anyone tell me about it?”

Jongdae watches as another student raises their hand. “Amortentia, also referred to as love potion, is a substance that can be classified as highly dangerous. Maybe even illegal. It can’t create actual love, but it can cause the person who drinks the potion to fall in love with the person who administered it. The smell that it gives off isn’t the same for everyone either.” 

“Correct, Mister Xiao! Ten points to Slytherin for precise answers! Yes, Amortentia, as Mister Xiao so graciously described to us, has a lovely mother-of-pearl sheen to it. The curls of steam that rise from the liquid emit a unique set of scents that differ from person to person.” The professor pauses and turns to Jongdae with a smile. “Mister Kim, if you could please step up to the cauldron.”

Jongdae freezes, eyes going just slightly wide. He could hear everyone behind him take a step back and he looks to Minseok and Kyungsoo, who just shrugged and motioned him forward. It felt like his fears had come to life. Why was his heart racing so much as he took a step forward? He watches as the professor lifts the lid off the black cauldron. Indeed, the potion that simmers comfortably inside the black pottery has a very shimmery appearance, little wisps of silver and gold dotting the surface as thick curls of steam rise out of the cauldron into the air.

“Now, Mister Kim, if you could graciously describe to us what you smell.”

Jongdae inhales deeply, closing his eyes. It takes maybe a few seconds for him to completely register the smells, but when they do tick in his mind, the corners of his kittenish lips curl upwards. He forgot where he was for what probably amounted to the longest minute of his life. “There’s a hint of...freshly brewed coffee...a worn broomstick handle...and…” He pauses. His cheeks flush a shade darker as he gulps. “...orange blossom mixed with green apples.”

There are a few sniggers and murmurs behind him as he steps back. He instinctively folds his arms over his chest as though he was cold (he might as well could say he was...they were in the dungeons after all). He decided to tune out the noise and focus only on the professor as he praises him for his bravery. Because yes, it certainly was brave of him to speak when his phobia of public speaking was a very real thing.

Minseok stares, befuddled. He could see Kyungsoo trying not to laugh out of the corner of his eye. What scent was that? Coffee...a worn broomstick handle...and orange blossom mixed with green apples? If he was being self-centered and narcissistic, he would definitely say it was him, but it’s too much of a coincidence. And he’s really too humble to really say it’s him. Besides, there was absolutely no way in hell that Jongdae likes him (he has basically ignored every damn advancement that Minseok has made on him)! And the thought makes him really upset because well...he likes Jongdae. He almost growls as he tries to rid the heavy current of thoughts that plague his mind. Those scents were probably all made up anyway. From where he was standing, before the professor closes the cauldron, his nose picks up the scent of something like grapefruit and peach tea, old books, and various fruity flowers covered with morning dew. He flushes slightly and holds back from hitting Kyungsoo when the boy notices his tinted cheeks. This is stupid, he thinks. Hopefully their professor doesn’t think about bringing this stupid love potion back in the future.

When the class is dismissed back to their seats, Jongdae and Minseok stare at each other before they sit down. Kyungsoo, on the other hand, only laughs harder before he apologizes and tells them to get on with the assignment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okie dokie, a few notes on this chapter that I wanted to share:  
-Yeah...Luhan might be slightly bratty. It isn't because I dislike him (honestly, that is far from the truth). He will develop as the story goes. I know that his last name is Lu, but for the purposes of the fic, I decided to use part of one of his nicknames that I believe translates to "little deer" (Xiǎolù/小鹿).  
-The scents from the Amortentia potion that both Jongdae and Minseok smell are a combination of their favorite food/drink, a possible sport or hobby that they show interest in (tweaked to match the Harry Potter universe), and the possible cologne that they might use respectively according to old Tweets that I found using Google. These are probably dated, but it's the information that I could find with regular Google means, so it might not be the most accurate.  
-An update on the houses with the new members introduced!!  
>Slytherin: Luhan, Kris, Tao  
>Gryffindor: Sehun, Lay  
>Hufflepuff: Suho, Baekhyun, Chanyeol, Kai  
>Ravenclaw: D.O, Chen, Xiumin
> 
> That aside, since the nineteenth was my birthday, I wanted to edit and post a chapter of the Hogwarts AU for you all! I apologize for not exactly having a set schedule (though I think thus far the update has been biweekly). I aim to post the next chapter next week, time permitting. I will work on that!
> 
> I also want to take a quick moment to say that, yes, it's a bit slow for certain ships. It isn't because I like to torture you...I could cram all my ships into one chapter, honestly. But developments arise and narratives like to change. Thus, some might be slightly more slow-burnish than others. I'll try to spread it out in future chapters!


	4. Lovely Night (Maybe)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following a more than merry date, Chanyeol and Baekhyun return to the dorms to find a sulking Jongin.

Chanyeol and Baekhyun laugh gleefully as they drag each other up the stairs to the Astronomy Tower. Jongin was moping because his crush did not notice him. Again. But the two lovebirds decided to shove the thought to the back of their head right now. It really has been too long since they last had a date. Course, they decided to be good parents and make it up to their sad bear sometime tonight (desserts like treacle tart always made him happy). Baekhyun summons a cute blue and white plaid picnic blanket as Chanyeol sets their basket of food on top of it. Then once they’ve sat down and made themselves comfortable, they begin to open the basket and summon all of the food out.

There’s a wide variety of treats and entrees that they nicked from the kitchens. (Advantages of being Hufflepuff, really; you’re conveniently right next to the kitchens!) A plate of roasted chicken legs flies out of the basket, along with Yorkshire Pudding, fried sausages, and a bowl of vegetables. Some of the treats that also fly out of the open picnic basket were chocolate eclairs, custard tarts, and of course, treacle tart.

“This was the greatest idea you’ve ever had, Baek,” Chanyeol sighs as he picks up a chicken leg. He bites into the meat, the pleasant scent of rosemary and pepper making his mouth water even more as he chews. He could hear his lover laughing.

“Is it really? I think I’ve had plenty of great ideas.” Baekhyun summons two golden goblets filled with iced pumpkin juice and hands one to the hungry boy across from him.

“After this, we should go to Hogsmeade as another date.”

“Oh that would be amazing!” Baekhyun could already imagine it. He and Chanyeol would stop at Honeydukes first to buy a boatload of candy with the money the two saved in a jar on their bedside table. Then they would stop at Zonko’s Joke Shop to buy some goodies for pranks amongst their friends. And then to end their little trip, they would stop at The Three Broomsticks for butterbeer before going back to Hogwarts. Then when they’re back at the dorms, they’ll cuddle with each other until they fall asleep. He smiles as he drinks his pumpkin juice, heart already soaring at the prospect of having another date later in the year. He reaches for a Yorkshire Pudding and bites into it. He chews thoughtfully. “And then we can study for O.W.L.s together!”

Chanyeol smiles endearingly. There’s a whole mess of crumbs around Baekhyun’s mouth as he eats the baked dish, but he can’t will himself to say anything. If Zitao was here, he’d be disgusted, but there is nobody who can judge his cute little boyfriend. Or him. So he leans forward to kiss the crumbs from his boyfriend’s face. He receives giggles as a reward. Oh how his heart fluttered! “Where should we study?”

“Maybe in the library? Or in the Great Hall so we can also snack!”

Chanyeol plants one final kiss on Baekhyun’s lips. It’s a little longer this time, filled with just as much love as his quick little pecks. (Okay, maybe with a little more heart in it than the others.) There is a gentle press against his lips, then a light suction before they pull away. Their lips are flushed a dark pink, their cheeks are tinted a light red, their eyes are just a little bit glassy, their smiles are just as wide and boxy. “Anything that you want, baby.”

Baekhyun laughs before playfully shoving his boyfriend back into his seat across the blanket. “You big goof ball, always making me happy.” He lets out a dreamy sigh, staring at the big-eared fool across from him with a million stars in his eyes. “I love you so much.”

Chanyeol could feel his heart soar. Those eyes are so incredibly shiny, they hold so many secrets. There are so many lights shining in them. He swears that they make the stars hide in shame. Nothing could ever match how beautiful the short boy in front of him is. He was just so incredibly cute, so incredibly endearing. “And I love you too, my cute little puppy.”

Baekhyun laughs before he continues with his meal. Chanyeol joins him. The two finish their date with more food than they could have finished, so they place them back into the small basket, roll up the blanket, and return to the Hufflepuff dormitories. When they reach the bedroom, they could see Jongin hunched over in his bed, a frown creasing his face.

“Jonginnie, what’s wrong?” Baekhyun asks, waddling over.

Chanyeol tucks the picnic blanket away and opens the food basket, pulling out the treacle tarts. “We had extra and wanted to give them to you. Here, Jongin.”

Immediately, the frown leaves and Jongin’s smile grows a mile wide. “Thank you! You guys are the best!”

As soon as he begins to dig into the treats, Junmyeon enters the room. There’s a small smile on his face as he glances over at the three of them. “Good evening, Jongin, Baekhyun, Chanyeol.”

“Hello, Junmyeon!” Baekhyun sings. He fishes through the food basket and pulls out the plate of custard tarts. “Here! We know you like them so we saved you the rest!”

The prefect takes them and bids thanks to them many times before the couple waves it off. “Our treat to you!”

They tuck the basket of food away. Chanyeol watches as his small boyfriend goes to his bed to fetch his messenger bag. He was most likely organizing his things for his classes tomorrow. Then someone taps his shoulder and he looks over at Jongin. He smiles.

“How are you feeling?” he asks.

“A bit better thanks to you and Baekhyun,” Jongin answers. He wipes at the cream at the corner of his lips. “I got a letter from Tao.”

A letter? “What for?”

“He…” Jongin glances over at Junmyeon, who was neatly wrapping the plate of custards that was handed to him. He hears him say a spell and then they vanish. Where to, he doesn’t know. Not that it matters to him. He looks back at Chanyeol again. “...needs to go to the greenhouses for potions practice.”

Chanyeol notices him wink. He didn’t need to be a psychic to know what that meant. If Jongin got a letter, then Zitao most likely sent Sehun a letter too. It was their little secret thing now, sending each other letters encrypted in code. Basically, if one of them wanted to do something, whether it was mess around with the prefects or sneak around trying to figure out the goings on around Hogwarts, they would send the others letters. The letters were simple; usually, the person would say something within a single sentence or two about what they “needed to do” (in this case, Zitao needed to “ go to the greenhouses for potions practice”) with a time arrangement on when and where they should meet (in this case, Zitao specifically said to meet in the Transfiguration Courtyard at eight in the evening within two weeks’ time). It would seem casual enough so that anyone who would come across their letters wouldn’t be at all suspicious about what they were trying to do. He nods after allowing the words to sink in. “Alright, yeah. I’ll see if my schedule is free.”

Jongin nods at him. He quickly grabs a sheet of parchment, along with his quill and ink. After scribbling down a reply, he whistles for Zitao’s small white snowy owl Kandy. She flies from the tree in the center of the room and lands on his arm. He smiles, rubbing her gently. Then he holds the rolled scroll out. “Can you take this back to Zitao, Kandy?”

The owl gives a soft coo before taking the scroll between her talons. She flies out of the open window between the bed. Chanyeol and Jongin watch her disappear into the night, the prominent white of her feathers still glowing as she fades from their vision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because this chapter is pretty short, I'm also going to post Chapter 5 in a little bit. c:
> 
> Also, as with Tao's pet Kandy/Candy (spelling of her name is still something I'm unsure of), most of EXO's pets seem to be puppers. For the purposes of having them as very small additions to the story, they've been changed into owls (because sadly, Hogwarts doesn't accept dogs as pets :c). For those interested, I have all the types listed in my personal notes so if anyone is pressingly curious, I can share those come chapter 6 or so. c:
> 
> As always, thanks for reading and for supporting this story thus far! I greatly appreciate it. <3


	5. Advancement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zitao finds a useful tool for the Four Horsemen of Hogwarts' nightly endeavor, a brief debacle breaks loose in the Great Hall, some drama happens and maybe even an advancement of sorts follows.

Jongin takes a generous bite of his ham sandwich. Chanyeol sits down beside him, a plate full of fries and cornish pasties dropped right in front of him. Across from them, Sehun places a plate full of fries in front of him, smiling when they gave him an incredulous look. “Not too hungry” is all he tells them before he picks a fry up. As soon as he’s about to eat it, three fingers wrench the thin potato from his grasp. Then Zitao sits down beside him, dropping a pile of marked parchment on the table in front of them as he chews. Sehun stares at him with a look marking betrayal, but he only waves it off.

“What’s all that, Tao?” Chanyeol asks as he chews three stringy potatoes at once. “Homework?”

“Yes, and--” He pulls out a pile of blank parchment all folded together. “--a map.”

Sehun scoffs beside him. “That’s a map?”

Jongin takes another large bite of the sandwich in his hand. As he reaches for one of Chanyeol’s fries, he watches with a trained eye as Zitao points his wand at the “map.” Surely, if this  _ was  _ a map, he wouldn’t think about setting the parchment on fire, right? Then he hears Zitao utter a single sentence, the words that flowed from his mouth and resonated in Jongin’s own ears seeming almost too...familiar.

“I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.”

The food that the three had been chewing almost threatens to fall from their mouths. Their eyes grow twice their size as maroon colored ink begins to fill out the empty parchment. Written blatantly clear on the map is the title “The Marauder's Map.”

“By Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs,” Sehun reads aloud. He drops a lone fry on his plate. “Who are they? We could be them, guys. Why aren’t we them?”

“We aren’t ‘Marauders,’ Sehun. We’re the Four Horsemen!”

As soon as those words drop from Chanyeol’s stuffed mouth, everyone in their near vicinity turns to look at them. Fortunately, being the giant goofball that he is, he simply smiles and waves, prompting the students to simply turn back around and pretend nothing had happened. Jongin could see Zitao glaring at him, but he just dismisses it like it was nothing.

“Anyways,” Zitao continues awkwardly, “we could use this when we have to go on our trip.”

Right, Jongin thinks, their trip. Not them trying to sneak around the castle or anything. They were good schoolboys--they wouldn’t dare to break rules by sneaking around the castle. He smiles, more to himself than anyone else, before he takes a large gulp of his iced pumpkin juice. “That’s just a few days from now, right?”

Zitao nods, a sly smirk curling his lips.

“So we have the map, but say we get caught, how do we put it away? Surely, the geniuses behind the ‘Marauder’s Map’ would have thought of a way to make it look like parchment.”

“We just tap the map with our wands and say, ‘Mischief Managed.’”

Jongin watches as the ink from the folded parchment fades until there is nothing left but the beaming yellow of the parchment. He looks at Zitao. “How did you come across this, and how did you know what phrases to use?”

“I don’t really know. I saw it in the groundskeeper’s office when I was...taking a walk. And the phrases...lucky guess?” He smiles shyly.

“This could be illegal, you know,” Sehun says warily. “Who knows what it could be used for? And what if it contains dark magic?”

Zitao turns to him. “Surely, Sehun, you won’t chicken out on us, right? You’re a Gryffindor!”

“I’m not saying that I’m ‘chickening out,’ but you know...someone’s going to have to take the fall if we get caught.”

Jongin looks away as the two start to bicker. He finishes his sandwich before going to grab a scoop of roasted potatoes. Honestly, he couldn’t blame Sehun for getting cold feet. It’s been a solid year since they really snuck around the castle. They probably all got rusty. The convenience of an invisibility cloak or potion wasn’t something they had any access to. Before he could take a bite of a potato, his eyes linger across the table on a particular Ravenclaw with light brown hair and really pretty doe eyes. His heart hammers in his chest, mouth hanging open just slightly. The potato on his fork drops onto the plate.

Chanyeol, Zitao, and Sehun simply look at him before they get any idea to look to see where their silent friend was looking. When they turn their head, they realize that across the way at the easternmost table is Jongin’s crush. The one he had been absolutely fawning over since they started their first year here. The boy with the large doe eyes and the heart shaped lips. The boy with milky skin and rounded cheeks. The boy who was very intently reading while his friends talked to each other beside him. The three look away before the Ravenclaw could see them staring.

Jongin, upon noticing how they probably noticed, picks up his slack jaw and looks at his plate. He swallows the saliva that had just been watering his mouth. He stuffs a potato in his mouth to keep from making any awkward noise.

“You should talk to him, Jongin.”

“Sehun, I can’t just ‘talk to him’ when his friends are right there! I’ll look like an idiot!” He looks at the boy again. He didn’t even know his name...he just knew how insanely beautiful he was. He swallows again. “He doesn’t even know I exist.”

“You could introduce yourself,” Sehun adds with a shrug. He pushes his plate of potatoes to Zitao when he notices how his friend is reaching for them. “Muster yourself some courage and give it a shot.”

“I…I can’t.”

“You can. I know you can.”

“What if--”

“Jongin,” Sehun leans forward. His lips are pursed as he draws his once-happy expression into a serious one. “We have two years left. If you aren’t going to make a move, someone else might. You don’t want to lose him.”

“I don’t want to lose him,” Jongin repeats. He still sighs. “I just...he…”

“Sleep on it, alright?”

He can’t go up to him. He can’t waltz up to the Ravenclaw because as pretty as he is...as much as his smile makes Jongin’s heart dance...he was really intimidating. This Ravenclaw...it’s like he was meant for Jongin to admire from a distance. But he really wants to know him, really wants to get along with him. His gaze still rests heavily upon the Ravenclaw that is too focused on his book. A red hot blush tints his cheeks as he hears the boy’s laugh.

Why was this so sodding difficult?

* * *

Minseok looks over at Kyungsoo when he hears the boy laugh. He almost scowls when he notices that Kyungsoo wasn’t even looking at his book--he was staring at his friends. When he looks over at Jongdae...beautiful Jongdae...he notices how his friend’s cute lips are curled into a smile. His breath must have decided that it was time for vacation because it had left him. It felt like he had just finished sprinting from one end of the castle to the other end; his heart is beating way too quickly in his chest and the room feels insanely hot. He loosens his tie just a bit and undoes the top two buttons of his dress shirt. Why did Jongdae have to do this to him?

“What’s so funny, Soo?” He hears Jongdae ask, his voice cracking slightly as he laughs.

“Just thought about something that happened in potions two weeks ago, that’s all,” Kyungsoo answers, waving his hand.

Minseok already knows what he’s thinking about. That stupid Amortentia potion and it generated stupid smells and how stupid Jongdae was to say what he smelled and how Minseok himself was stupid because he smelled stuff too. It’s a whole mess he does not want to think about right now. By Merlin, he wished that he didn’t go that day. Now it’s the only thing he can think of, and as much as he wants to ask Jongdae why he smelled what he did, he doesn’t ask. Because if those damn scents were associated with someone else, then Minseok wouldn’t want to deal with the heartbreak. Nothing hurt more than hearing how the person you like...or love...was falling for someone else.

Supposedly, Jongdae must have sensed his distress because now he’s giving Minseok a reassuring smile while rubbing his clenched fist. (When did he do that?) He focuses on the sensation of Jongdae’s soft fingers running small circles over his knuckles. He watches the way Jongdae’s curled lips breaks into a stunning smile that parts his lips. He watches the way Jongdae’s tongue sticks out of his perfect row of pearly whites as he laughs. He listens to the way Jongdae’s laugh sings to him. When Minseok feels his own face heating up at the sight of his crush’s eyes twinkling, he withdraws his hand from the touch and looks away. He could hear Kyungsoo chuckling beside him.

As serene (and embarrassing) as the moment is, and as much as Minseok wants to be wrapped up in it, he and his friends are pulled out when someone causes the nearest pitcher of pumpkin juice to rise into the air and dump the contents onto Jongdae’s head. Minseok’s eyes go wide and he stands, expression pulled then into a furious growl.

Jongdae could only stare, cheeks flushed a deep crimson as the entire room broke out in laughter. Two seats down, he could hear the familiar mocking ring of Luhan Xiao’s laugh, followed by a taunt that causes his heart to tear in two. His robes are soaked, his hair a wet mess as it clings to his forehead. He swallows, quickly rising to his feet. He ignores the protests from his friends and makes a break for the grand doors of the Great Hall. Not a step later, he trips as the incantation for the trip jinx echoes in the hall. He feels too cold and too hot all at once. The noise in the large room was too loud, like someone had summoned stereos to bump the ringing up tenfold. He doesn’t even register himself moving, only until someone rushes over to him to help him to his feet. He looks over to see a tall Hufflepuff with warm brown eyes smiling at him.

“Are you alright,” they ask gently.

“Yeah,” he says simply, cheeks burning. “Thanks, ah…”

“Jongin,” the boy replies, his welcoming smile still beaming. “My name is Jongin.” His smile is rather cute, Jongdae thinks.

“Thank you, Jongin.” He casts a gaze over to Kyungsoo and Minseok, who have since risen out of their seat. Both of them were running over to him when a blonde Gryffindor runs over in the opposite direction, right towards the Slytherin that had jinxed Jongdae. The guy is crazy, he thinks.

“Are you alright, Dae?” Minseok asks. A hand cups Jongdae’s face as he uses the other to push the sticky strands of hair back. His worried expression changes quickly to one of pure rage. “I swear, I’ll hex Xiao and make him regret ever attacking you.”

“Min,” Kyungsoo says sternly. “Take Dae to the baths so he can clean up. I’ll report to--”

“No! It’s...it’s fine.” He smiles sadly. “Please, don’t do anything, Soo. Please.”

“Dae, he jinxed you, taunted you,  _ and  _ dumped a whole pitcher of pumpkin juice on you,” cries Minseok. His grip on Jongdae’s shoulders tightens, nails digging into the cloth of his robes until he feels the slightest squishiness of flesh. “He  _ needs  _ to be punished!”

“Min!” The two turn to Kyungsoo as he sighs. “Just...take Dae to the restrooms. I’ll handle it, alright?”

The two are engulfed in complete and utter silence before they silently nod. Jongdae gives the boy named Jongin a thankful smile before he’s dragged out.

Kyungsoo lets out an exasperated sigh. He turns back around and his eyes meet a rather shy looking Hufflepuff. “Thank you for helping him,” he says quickly. Then he goes to the angry looking Gryffindor and Slytherin in the middle of the Great Hall, breaking their fight before issuing detentions to both of them.

* * *

Sehun fumes silently as he massages his sore arm. Behind him, Zitao is lecturing him for picking a fight with who Sehun now knows is Luhan. Chanyeol is trying to calm him down while Jongin is basically riding on cloud nine. So, the dark haired, silvery eyed prick was Luhan? The one who assaulted his friend and now, the one who assaulted a Ravenclaw who, by all accounts, was completely innocent and did fuck all. Luhan better get what’s coming to him.

“You shouldn’t have fought him, Sehun! Now he’s probably thinking of a million curses to cast on you!”

“Tao!” Sehun yells. His blood is boiling, his patience a thin strand. “I can care less if the prick is going to curse me. He shouldn’t have harassed the Ravenclaw to begin with.”

“But now you have detention! And it’s--”

“Not on the same night as our plans,” Chanyeol interrupts with a blinding smile. “Don’t worry, Tao, we’ll still be able to hang out.”

Zitao stops talking. Sehun silently thanks Chanyeol for the save. As much as he loved the Slytherin he called his friend, sometimes he could get a little...well, paranoia was his specialty. He looks at Jongin now, who’s peacefully resting his chin on the palm of his hand. The boy that he was crushing on has long since left. When asked about why he was so happy, Jongin gleefully tells them everything. From how he went to help someone named ‘Dae’ to how he heard that his crush’s name was supposedly ‘Soo,’ and finally spills how this Soo thanked Jongin for helping Dae.

“And I’m so happy now,” Jongin hums. Sehun could only laugh.

“We’re happy that you’re happy, Jonginnie,” Chanyeol murmurs, ruffling the younger’s hair.

Sehun looks down at his arm. There’s a nasty purple spot on his arm where he had impacted with the floor after Soo saved him from Luhan’s Levicorpus spell. At least he managed to hit Luhan with a (not too harmful) Confringo curse that made him fly at least two feet before skidding three more feet. That was incredibly satisfying--to see the nasty smirk wiped away. He did have to admit, it wasn’t nice to damage that beautiful face, but the bastard totally deserved it. A tap on his shoulder causes him to look over his shoulder. Speak (or think) of the devil; there was Luhan now.

His eyes were drawn in a menacing glare as he looks down at his potential prey. Not that Sehun would give him the satisfaction of bullying him. “Impressive dueling ability, Gryffindor.”

Sehun scoffs. “Can’t say the same to you, Slytherin.”

His nostrils flare as his eyes narrow more. “You and me. Duel. Great Hall. Next week.”

Sehun stands immediately. “You’re on.” He smirks. “I’ll wipe the smile off your face just like I did tonight.”

“In your dreams.”

Luhan takes off down the room towards the exit. Sehun watches him go. He can hear Zitao protesting again while Chanyeol orders him to shut up. Jongin looks at him, but Sehun doesn’t return the glance. He bites his lip, eyes closing as the chatter around him dissolves into muffled noise, like he has his head dunked under water. His shoulders sag as he exhales the breath in his lungs.  _ Just great _ , he thinks,  _ you’ve signed your own death warrant. _

* * *

Minseok paces around the almost-empty room. Kyungsoo had just left to perform his rounds as prefect. He wouldn’t be back for another hour or two. Right now, it would be a perfect time for him to say something to Jongdae. But with the events that transpired in the Great Hall still fresh in his mind, how he could think about telling him?

“Min? Are you still mad?” That voice. So soft, so meek.

He bit his lower lip. The smile that edges its way onto his face makes him almost lose his serious composure. But he sighed, resting his hands on his hips as he works to compose himself. He turns on his heel, feline-shaped eyes zoning in on the boy sitting on the bed with a fluffy pink towel still draped over his head. At any other time, he might have found the sight tantalizing (and it still was), but he can’t focus on anything else. How could he forgive himself for just watching as his best friend was attacked today.

Yeah, it was just a particular stupid Slytherin trying to be funny. But what if it was...he groans.

“I’m sorry, Min,” the same voice murmurs.

Minseok forces his pounding heart down with a gulp. “Why are you sorry?”

“I...I didn’t look at my surroundings...maybe I could have prevented….”

He watches with sad, pitiful eyes as his best friend starts to shake. Then he hears it--sobbing. It’s quiet, almost muffled, like he was working to hide it. The sight is horrible, cruel, and it makes him want to hunt down Luhan and curse him. But he doesn’t leave. He can’t, not when his best friend is at his lowest. Instead, he runs over and envelopes Jongdae in a tight hug, willing him to cry on his shoulder.

“Why d-don’t you l-leave me, Min?”

Leave? Why would he leave? He can’t. He never really could. Nor would he ever want to. “I’m not leaving you, Dae.”

“Why don’t you?”

“I don’t want to.”

“B-but I’m a…”

Minseok gulps. He hugs Jongdae tighter when he hears him sob a little harder.

_ “‘M-Mudblood.’” _

He closes his eyes. “You aren’t a ‘Mudblood,’ Dae.”

“Ever since first--”

“You aren’t a ‘Mudblood,’ Dae,” he repeats, a little more stern this time. When the only response he gets is a whimper, he continues speaking. “I don’t care what people say you are. They call you ‘traitorous,’ but you are anything but. They call you ‘Mudblood,’ but you are anything but.”

More sobs.

“Dae, look at me.”

He pulls away, cupping the teary face. He thumbs over the fallen droplets. His eyes dart between those puffy red eyes and the downward sag of those pretty lips. The thought is tempting, especially when he could feel himself leaning forward. His head tilts, lips part, eyes--

The door opens. As soon as it does, they move apart, cheeks glowing bright red. In comes Kyungsoo. His eyes meet Minseok’s furious gaze, but he doesn’t falter.

“Sorry, did I interrupt something,” he asks. His smile looks like it is partially guilt-ridden, but more than anything, it is smug. Very smug. It looked like he was having the time of his life.

“N-no,” Jongdae replies quickly. He uses his towel to wipe his face free of salty tears. He hopes that Kyungsoo can’t see how red his eyes are. “We were just...uh…”

“Comforting each other,” Minseok finishes. He stands and goes to his own space. As soon as he does, Tan moves to the foot of his bed. “Nothing to trouble yourself with.”

The three sit in silence. Kyungsoo goes to his bed, slowly undressing himself. Then as soon as he goes to undo his tie, Minseok asks, “Why’d you come back so early?”

Kyungsoo simply shrugged with a smile still plastered on his face. “Finished my rounds early. Plus, I wanted to see how my friends were doing.”

Minseok continues to glare at him as Jongdae laughs innocently. “Well, it’s a nice change to see you back with us early.”

“And I am happy to be back early,” Kyungsoo adds before motioning for Minseok to stop glaring at him. “Stop fuming, Min.”

“‘M not fuming,” he mutters. He ducks under his covers before without saying another word. Jongdae simply laughs as he and Kyungsoo follow suit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some moments with XiuChen, some with Kaisoo, something with HunHan...don't worry, all the other ships will have their moments too. :3
> 
> I know I already said it in the previous chapter, but seriously, thank you for the support and kudos and love! I wasn't sure how this fic would turn out. But I sat here with some of these ideas stewing in my head and was desperate to share them. So thank you for allowing me the chance to do that. <3


	6. A Plan Too Ambitious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When ambition gets the best of a Slytherin, some things just don't turn out too hot.

The sky, black as though painted with the finest ink. The stars, like tiny white specks dotted across the vast canvas that was night sky. The moon, in all of her glory, glowed brightly behind the thicket of clouds. A gentle breeze blows through Zitao’s hair, carting his short blonde locks past his eyes. Idle hands toy with the green and silver-striped tie atop his uniform. Even if it wasn’t too cold tonight, he was still shivering as he waited anxiously for his friends. Tonight was the night that he would put the group's plan into motion, get what he personally needed to put his own plan into motion. His goal was to have that super attractive Slytherin prefect Kris wrapped around his finger by the time the holidays arrived, and the only way he knew how to do that without having to waste time doing the whole courtship song and dance was to use the potion that he had caught the name of when he walked past the potions classroom one bleak afternoon.

_ Amortentia _. Or as it was also known, love potion.

Yes, he was floors away from potions. But once he utilized the map in his hands, he could work out secret passageways that he could use to get in and out of the classroom without a hitch.

He had absolutely no plan if they got caught though.

But the plan was to _ not _get caught. At all. So it's a foolproof plan if he and his friends (moreso his friends) didn't get caught.

The distant crunching of grass causes him to look up at the empty courtyard. He gulps, instinctively reaching for his wand. He taps the map, whispering the phrase he had told his friends about in the Great Hall. The ink paints its way onto the parchment and then he unfolds it. He whispers “lumos” to read the thin cursive. The names he sees walking towards him allows him to relax.

“Mischief managed,” he whispers before looking up. The parchment is safely tucked away in the pocket of his robes. He glances over at his friends, who didn’t even bother to remember that silence was key here. _ Lame, _ he thinks. “Guys! We’re supposed to be quiet!”

The tallest of the three waves him off. “We weren’t caught.”

Zitao rolls his eyes.

“So why did you want to meet up?”

They’re asking that now? Zitao huffs, pinching the bridge of his nose. Now that he thought about why he wanted to be out and about, he realized that the reasoning was insanely stupid. Childish, really. “I want to get a love potion.” He never thought he’d hear those words leave his mouth.

“A love potion?” Sehun asks. He almost sniggers when he sees the Slytherin nod. Zitao would remember to jinx him later.

“This is insane, Tao,” Jongin says. “You do know they’re illegal, right?”

Zitao shakes his head. _ Since when _, he inquires in his head.

Chanyeol only laughs and hits Jongin’s arm. “They are not, Jonginnie!”

“Well if they were somehow legal, apart from the difficulty of finding the narcotic, what about the prefects? Won’t we get caught trying to get to potions? The stairs aren’t exactly the most roomy and--”

“Regardless of the risks,” Zitao interrupts, trying his best to brush his own nerves off, “I have a mission, and I need to get it done by the holidays. Ready?”

The distinct crackle of the sconce seemed to grow louder with every passing second. Zitao looked between his three friends, suddenly wishing that he had gone alone. Okay, scratch that, he was happy to not be going by himself, but he wasn’t pleased with how they were making him nervous. Jongin’s point about the stairs being a choke point wasn’t something he could blatantly disregard either. Because as much as he just didn't want to admit it, the Grand Staircase certainly did pose a risk. He had to remember that the groundskeeper and his stupid cat were something to consider a threat too.

“Alright, maybe we could just go to the greenhouses,” he says finally with a heavy sigh. “I can always try to brew the potion instead.”

“Yeah, that's probably much safer,” Jongin whispers, “and the greenhouses are just right there too…”

Zitao begrudgingly leads the group to the Herbology greenhouses. This isn’t his first plan--it was never in his plan to begin with--and it isn’t his absolute favorite. But it’s the one he’s rolling with.

The four push past one of the iron doors, almost fainting when the hinges emitted a very faint creak. One head peers in, then another, and then they push inside The seemingly vacant corridor. There are footsteps down the hall to the south, and in a mode resembling absolute panic, they quickly cram behind a large banner where a hidden statue lied. Judging by the noise, the footsteps seemed to have stopped just in front of where they were, and they all held their breath.

_Three…_

The footsteps sounded louder.

_Two…_

They just stopped and the faint shadow of shoes flickered just below the banner. They all watch with their hands over their mouths.

_One…_

“Hey!” A voice down another end of the hall shouts. The footsteps just in front of them falter.

“What are you doing out this late,” came a soft voice.

Chanyeol and Jongin freeze. Zitao and Sehun glance at them. _ Was that…? _

“Ah, Junmyeon, apologies!”

Sehun freezes. Zitao looks at him. _ That couldn’t have been… _

There’s a gentle laugh. “It’s alright, Yixing. It’s just surprising to see you out and all.”

The four are entirely silent. Well, Zitao is mostly. He could hear the other three trying their hardest not to freak out on the spot.

“I had to make a quick stop at the hospital wing, but I can’t remember where it is.”

Sehun tries not to snigger. A sharp elbow in the ribs stops him. He swallows the “ow” he was about to hiss.

“Is it urgent, Yixing?” A brief moment of silence goes by. “Maybe I could accompany you?”

There’s a pause. The four could only guess that Yixing had smiled because a very spirited “I’d like that very much” followed the accompanying silence.

A pair of footsteps sound again against the stone floor, but they grow distant. They were heading away from the four tucked away behind a banner that was slowly suffocating them. “Aren’t you supposed to take points away from me?”

The laugh that chimes through the hall starts to grow soft. “I should, but you aren’t doing anything wrong.”

All at once, the four exhale loudly. If anyone else was in the room, they would have definitely heard that.

“Thank Merlin for Yixing,” Sehun gasps as he swallows some air.

“And thank Merlin for Junmyeon,” Chanyeol and Jongin manage.

Zitao simply shoves past them and continues to the greenhouses. The three follow not-so-quietly after him. When they get to the greenhouses, Zitao tries for the door. The handle doesn’t budge. He frowns.

“Damn it,” he mutters. “Anyone know any lock spells?”

“We could try to Confringo the door,” Chanyeol says, a very mischievous grin on his face.

Zitao hits his arm. “Are you stupid?! We’ll get caught!”

“Have you not been paying attention in Charms,” an almost aghast Sehun asks. He steps up to the door. “Alohomora!”

There’s a soft click as the latch to the greenhouses shifts. But when they try the door again, it doesn’t open. Zitao and Chanyeol glare at Sehun. All he does is give them a half-assed smile and a shrug.

“Great,” Zitao huffs. “Just great. The herbology professor probably charmed the door to prevent anyone from stealing ingredients or something.”

“Well, if everyone's out of ideas, we can try the library?”

The three turn to look at Jongin now, who merely shrugs. “Why the--”

“I just want to give it a go is all. For personal reasons."

With nothing better to do, the three walk south of the greenhouses and find themselves between the path to the quidditch pitch and the castle. 

“Hey! This is where the Hufflepuffs go to duel sometimes!” Chanyeol exclaims excitedly, forgetting the fact that they were supposed to be quiet. He rushes over to the wall. “Right behind here, if I remember right.”

“Chanyeol, are you crazy?!” Zitao hisses. He glances around wildly. His heart drops when he notices the distant bulb of light coming towards them. He panics. “Over the wall!”

The remaining three jump over the wall. All four crouch down, Zitao, Sehun, and Kai just barely managing to conceal themselves enough to hide. Chanyeol, on the other hand, might have been poking out slightly.

“Get lower,” Zitao orders to the tallest. Chanyeol just looks at him flabbergasted.

“I’m trying! Do you know how hard it is to crouch when your legs are as tall as trees?!”

It was an exaggeration, of course. An exaggeration that worked to make Sehun and Jongin snigger. Zitao hits them all.

“What do we do?” Jongin whispers after calming himself down enough.

“Do we know what house the prefect is?” Sehun asks, peering over just slightly. In the light, he could just barely make out a dark color on the hood of their robes. He ducks down again. “Well it’s either Slytherin or Ravenclaw.”

“If it’s Slytherin, then we send Zitao out,” Chanyeol manages. He tries to squish himself down more, but it’s difficult when his knees are already leveled with his nose.

“Who’s there?!” A gruff voice calls.

“Zitao, go!” Chanyeol ushers him away. Sehun and Jongin push him. They snatch the parchment that sticks out of his pocket before he’s completely uncovered by the wall.

“Why me?!”

“Because if he’s a Slytherin, you can try to talk him down. Or you know, lay some flirt on him. Now pretend we aren’t here!”

Zitao stumbles forward, praying that at least one of their hands weren’t seen. He shields his eyes from the bright light illuminated at the tip of the wand pointing directly at his face. “Could you--”

“What are you doing out here so late at night?” The voice asks. Then the wand is lowered. Zitao freezes, nearly choking on the air he takes in way too quickly as he gasps.

“Kris!” He’s half excited and half imitated. It’s always a pleasant surprise to see the Slytherin prefect, but he’s also pretty scared because well...Kris looked really intimidating and cold. A shy smile tugged at his lips, and then disappears because he remembered the predicament he had placed himself in. What was he supposed to say? That he wanted to try to brew a love potion? Weren’t they illegal? Jongin said they were, right? Oh Merlin, was he going to get in trouble? He was already in trouble, what was he talking about?

_ Think, Tao, think! _ “I was...uh…”

“You do know that you aren’t allowed to wander the school at night, correct?”

“I just needed some air,” he says quickly. Then he shuts his eyes, cursing himself under his breath. He just spares a smile as the prefect rolls his eyes. "And and...who's to say that I can't roam the school grounds as I please? I'm _not_ doing anything _illegal_." He swallowed nervously after that.

“Right, you're staying out of trouble...sure. And you couldn’t get air in the dorms?”

“No...the dungeons are stuffy.” _ Good reasoning, Tao. _

He could hear not-so-distant sniggering behind the stone wall. He closes his eyes again. If Kris didn’t hear them before… “So, what are--”

The Slytherin prefect disregards him and glances over to his left. He raises an eyebrow before pointing his wand in the direction of the wall. It was just barely there, but it was definitely not hard to miss. Just peeking beyond the top of the wall was a tuft of crimson red hair. “Nice try, but I am neither blind or deaf. Come out from behind the wall.”

Zitao sighs in defeat as slowly, Sehun, Jongin, and Chanyeol rise to their feet. They join him at his side as Kris disappointedly clicks his tongue.

“So, two Hufflepuffs, a Gryffindor, and a Slytherin decided to break school rules? What should I enact as punishment?” Kris starts coldly as he flicks the bright tip of his wand at the four individuals. “Ten points from Hufflepuff and Gryffindor.”

Sehun and Chanyeol audibly gasp before protesting in rage. Jongin just stares at his feet. Kris holds his hand up to shut the two up, and they do as he motions.

“And as for you, Huang,” he points at Zitao. He ponders the situation for a few moments. “I’ll talk to you after I escort the lot of you back to the castle. Now start walking.”

“That isn’t fair!” Chanyeol exclaims heatedly. “Why do we have our points taken away while he just gets a lecture?!”

“Do you want me to take another ten points away from the three of you? Or should I double that? And add detentions to boot?” Kris snaps. There’s a nasty smirk on his face.

"T-that won't be necessary!" Jongin murmurs as he pulls at Sehun and Chanyeol’s arms, shaking his head to signal to them to stop. They send a glare or two back at the prefect before Jongin pulls their arms again to signal to them to stop.

Zitao stuffs his hands in the pockets of his robes, nibbling at his lip. His eyes are trained at the heels of his friends’ shoes as they walk in front of him. He would be lying to himself if he said he didn’t feel guilty. A strong grip on his tricep tugs him back a spell.

The Slytherin prefect clicked his tongue. "Huang, you really need to find less...troublesome _ 'friends _.'"

Zitao shies away. He catches the heavy gaze from Chanyeol, who surely must have been waiting for him to say something to defend them. But what could he do in this case besides...he shyly nods once. "Yeah " he barely whispers. He prayed that it was only loud enough for the prefect to hear, just to throw the handsome bastard off his back. Unfortunately for him, it was just loud enough for his already angered and upset friends to catch wind of.

“Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable. Thanks for nothing," Chanyeol hisses at him before he and Jongin depart to the Hufflepuff dormitories. Sehun simply waves at him with a sorry smile and rushes up the grand staircase to the Gryffindor dormitory before Kris could utter another word.

Zitao watches them go. The lost apology dies on his tongue as he watches the solemn sight of his friends departure. Though he's seen them go a million times, somehow, it feels different this time. It feels...off, wrong, like the note they left off on wasn't played right. And it's got his head twisted into a muddled mess. His throat must have been closing in because suddenly it's so hard to do something as simple as breathing. And what air that he was intaking into his lungs felt like a raging wildfire that burned, like a poison was slowly coating his throat in a sticky, vile syrup that was causing everything to collapse in on itself. It sounded and felt like he was drowning, tugged under the water with absolutely no way of getting back up. "You'll be okay, you'll be okay" was the lie he had settled upon repeating to himself. He was not okay. The salty trail of tears proved otherwise. A voice lures him from his troubled thoughts.

“You holding up?”

“Y-yeah. Totally.” He looks at his shoes. It was a very blatant lie because no, he was not holding up. He probably and most definitely lost the only people he called his friends. They were angry with him because this whole mess was his idea and he didn’t take the fall. Like he should have if he was actually a good friend. Not to mention the fact that he basically just called them bad friends without ever saying those words. The people he had taken for granted were gone because of him. No...no, he was not holding up and no matter how much he was telling himself that he didn't need them...he really needed them. As much as he needed air to breathe.

“Lying really isn’t in your nature, Huang.”

“Zitao,” he corrects. "Sorry. Please just call me 'Zitao.'"

“‘Zitao,’” Kris repeats. “Look…”

His heart is racing in his chest, breathing too quick and ragged. He feels so dizzy, so incredibly dizzy. And the only thing he can cling to to try and bring himself back down is his robes. But even that doesn't feel secure and he quickly resorted to wringing thick locks of his bleached hair. “What have I done? Why was I so stupid?”

Long fingers wrap gingerly around his wrists as a slight tug brings them to his side. Through blurry vision, he could just make out Kris. The expression on the prefect's face is unreadable, and it frustrates him to no end. “Are you really blaming yourself for this?”

“I should have listened, I should have learned. Mother and Father will...”

Kris sighs. He cups Zitao’s face and watches as the boy’s cheeks start to turn pink. He smiles inwardly. “Maybe I was a bit too harsh and yeah, I shouldn't have said what I did, but you and your friends have to realize that it isn’t just fun and games anymore. You four are what...in your fifth year now? Horseplay and childish antics won't help you as an adult. Neither will sneaking around the school grounds. It poses a danger to you and while there isn't anything happening in the wizarding world now, who's to say that something won't happen in the future? The school would have to inform your family if something happened. Nobody would want anything to happen to you or your friends. Do you understand what I'm saying, Zitao?”

Zitao laughs bitterly as he nods. If only he realized everything sooner...the whole actions have consequences concept should have been something he hammered into his head since day one. Maybe then he wouldn’t have pushed his friends so hard to go out with him. Maybe then he wouldn’t have to fear losing them.

Kris shakes his head. “Tell you what. I'll go easy on you. I won’t report you to the head of Slytherin, nor will I report your friends to their respective heads of house. All your points will remain the same. Just...don’t make me take back my words. If I catch you outside after hours again, I will certainly take points away and report you. Understood?”

Zitao only nods. He silently counts his blessings because now he won’t have to get a howler from his parents. For the first time that evening, he genuinely smiles. “Thank you, Kris. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Kris merely chuckles. That smile...Zitao still can’t get enough of that smile. “Just don’t go spreading news that I’m not as cold hearted as I make myself out to be. Can’t tarnish my reputation now, right?”

“Your secret is safe with me.” He mimics the gesture of locking his lips and throwing away the key. His reward for doing something so childish is hearing Kris laugh again. Merlin, he could get impossibly drunk on that laugh.

“Now go to sleep, Zitao. I still have rounds to finish.”

Zitao waves and watches him go. He sighs merrily, hands touching his blushing cheeks. A smile is permanently etched on his face for the rest of the night.

* * *

Jongin fumbles with the stuffed bear plushie that Zitao had given him for his birthday. He nibbles on his tongue, trying to ignore the guilt eating at him for ignoring his friend before going to the dorm. He could only guess that Chanyeol was also feeling guilty because he was rustling the sheets on his bed. If he hadn’t looked over, he would have guessed that the elf-eared boy was wrapped like a burrito. But he wasn’t--he just had his blanket hanging over his head. Baekhyun was sitting at the foot of his bed, trying his best to console his boyfriend.

“I’m sure Tao didn’t mean to say what he did. He must have been peer pressured to say what he did, Channie,” Baekhyun whispers. He carts a hand through Chanyeol’s red hair, smiling sadly. “I’d hate to see you lose the red, though. You look really cute with it.”

“I know, Baekhyunnie,” Chanyeol murmurs sadly. “If that stupid Slytherin prefect didn’t catch us, I might still keep it.”

Jongin tries not to laugh. How being caught and having red hair were remotely related made no sense. The prefect didn’t say anything about Chanyeol’s hair either.

“Oh! I want to do pink! Maybe you could do pink too! We could match!”

Jongin watches as Chanyeol ponders the decision, then nods excitedly. He tunes them out after that and watches as Junmyeon walks in with a smile on his face and a light blush on his cheeks. He cocks his head to the side. Did this have to do with the thing that happened that night with Yixing, the person that only Sehun knew and Jongin himself had never met?

“You look peachy, Junmyeon!” Baekhyun barks happily. “Did something happen?”

Junmyeon laughs. “Yes, well...let’s say that a friend of mine has a way with words.”

_ Just friends? _ Jongin smiles.

“What did he do?”

“I’ll tell you in the morning,” Junmyeon finishes before waving it off. With a wave of his wand, he extinguishes the lights from the room.

Jongin stares at the small bear in his hands. He notices Chanyeol’s heavy gaze staring at the bear too.

“Do you think he meant anything by what he said?”

Chanyeol sighed. "No...I don't think so. Maybe Baekhyun's right...you know, that he was peer pressured into saying what he did. I hope that's the case, at least.”

"Should we wait and see? Maybe give it some time? I'd hate to leave him alone, but…"

The metaphorical giant sighed again. "Let him take the initiative, Nini. We'll wait to see what he says."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, all! It's been a while, hasn't it? I will preface this quickly with a brief message: Happy New Year, even if I am weeks late! I hope 2020 has been going well for you all! Lots of news dropping in the EXO community, huh?
> 
> First and foremost, I want to take this time to apologize for my long absence and negligence of posting the next chapter. Uni has been a bit of a monster and has very rudely chewed up my time to edit and post the chapters. I will work hard to post chapters for this fic at a frequent pace. My next semester of college should be more merciful than my last. c:
> 
> Secondly, did you all hear the news that Chennie Chennie was getting married?! While I am delighted by the news, my XiuChen heart weeps at the info bomb. But regardless, perhaps selfishly of me, I will continue to post XiuChen whilst also wishing my beebee all the best with his future! Let's support him for sharing such wonderous news!
> 
> Okay, to keep this from becoming too lengthy, that should be all for now. Thank you all so very much for your patience and support for this fic! It truly is very encouraging and I can't thank you enough for it!


	7. Beyond Honeyed Words

Come early in the morning of the following day, Baekhyun, Chanyeol, and Jongin had accompanied Junmyeon to breakfast. The four sat down at the Hufflepuff table and began to pile various foods onto their plates. Once empty golden plates were filled with sausages, scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon, as well as piled with various rolls and toast. Their goblets filled with orange juice, and after a hearty cheer, the four began to eat. Chanyeol and Baekhyun, ever romantic, took bites of the same roll. Junmyeon and Jongin laugh, neither one too bothered by the couple's public displays of affection. After some time, the four had finished their first helping of breakfast before moving on to corn flakes with milk or porridge.

“So, Junmyeon,” Baekhyun manages through a dripping mouthful of milk and cereal. He properly wipes himself clean with a light flush before he continues to speak. “Do tell us about your friend with the honeyed words!”

The eldest almost chokes on his orange juice. He smiles, almost shyly, and begins to wipe away his mess. “Ah, yes. My friend Yixing...well...I saw him last night while I was doing my rounds and he looked beyond confused.”

Jongin and Chanyeol could easily recall the event. Well, not perfectly. They just remembered what they had heard behind the curtain. It didn’t seem like anything more than a friendly exchange (except for maybe how spirited Yixing sounded that one time). Still, they didn’t press anything and merely sat silently with innocent smiles on their faces. If only it was Junmyeon who caught them though...maybe he wouldn’t have been as harsh. Then again, he did enforce rules pretty well…

“There's a reason why he was confused and why he was out late, right? Also, what happened?!” Baekhyun continued to press rather loudly. The noise coming from an overly excited puppy had disrupted the rather unpleasant memory that the two troublesome Hufflepuffs had been reliving.

“Well…I'm probably overhyping it. It isn't as...perhaps romantic...as I originally made it sound to be. He just said something funny is all, and it was more of a casual--”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes. "_ Please, _ Junmyeon! Any news of your romantic antics is news! Come on! Tell us, Myeon! Please!"

Junmyeon laughed. "Alright, Baekhyun, I'll tell you."

* * *

_ Junmyeon chewed at his lower lip as he walked down the hall. A million worries were plaguing his mind this evening, and that made it difficult for him to concentrate on his rounds. His first worry was the ungodly amount of homework his professors had piled on him. Reviews for his (and every other sixth year's) upcoming N.E.W.T.s, they had claimed. It wasn't bad review, just...time consuming. Which brought him to his next worry, of which was revolving oh so joyously around a dinner party. That focused more upon the party aspect than the dinner aspect. It was a party that also required bringing a guest. And it wasn't the "asking someone" part that was hard...it was figuring out _ who _ he was going to ask. _

_ There were plenty of people he could ask. He could be kind and ask Kris Wu to the dinner. Though inviting your ex that you thankfully got off on good terms with seemed like a really poorly thought out plan now that he had the free time to consider it. It just seemed...to be in poor taste. There was Juhyun Bae, a Gryffindor in his Potions class. Sana Minatozaki, the Slytherin in his Charms class, was another person he had considered asking… _

_ Then there was...well, the person that he had considered asking for quite awhile now was Yixing. Unfortunately, he didn't really know if the other would ever consider going with him. It wasn't that Yixing was ever opposed to going out with him (in fact, he made it quite clear that he was very open about it). It was just...Yixing seemed to be busy, or busier than he ever had been. And it only started this year. Unfortunately, Junmyeon wasn't quite sure why. _

_ And it isn't like him to pry, so pry he did not. _

_ With his brain swimming in an ocean of thoughts, it was almost difficult for the Hufflepuff prefect to catch the not so distant sound of footsteps that are moving further down the hallway. Junmyeon pushes his thoughts to the back of his head, concentrating hard on the sounds that he was sure he heard. Listening a little harder, yes, he could confirm that there were indeed footsteps coming from down the hall. He raises his wand, casts _ Lumos Maxima, _ and walks in the direction of the noise. “Hey,” he calls loudly. When he walks closer to the person who freezes just in front of the pale blue curtain with the school crest emblazoned on it, he allows himself to relax. Just as he thought of the angelic devil himself...who knew he would have shown up? “What are you doing out this late?” _

_ The person who was facing the curtain turns quickly and has a small dimpled smile on his face. “Ah, Junmyeon, apologies!” _

_ He chuckles and waves his hand. He switches back to a simple _ Lumos _ before he walks over. The last thing he would want to do was blind his friend. “It’s alright, Yixing. It’s just surprising to see you out and all.” _

_ “I had to make a quick stop at the hospital wing, but I can’t remember where it is.” He watches as Yixing rubs the back of his neck, embarrassed. It was cute, if Junmyeon had to admit it. Endearingly adorable. _

_ But quickly hopping back into his official prefect mindset, he furrows his brows into a worried expression. He had to remind himself that Yixing was out late, and trying to go to the hospital wing no less. He knew that the other had displayed great interest in medicine and healing ever since the end of their fourth year, but he's never really had to visit the hospital wing to do research on the various remedies and such, especially so late in the evening. No, this had to be a new development. One that entailed him to be out so late. And as much as he wanted to know, he wouldn't pry. He couldn't. “Is it urgent, Yixing?” He asked. _

_ He notices the other nod. _

_ It would be a leap of faith if he decided to ask what was happily hopping around on his tongue. But he sucks in a deep breath and decides to jump...figuratively of course. “May I accompany you?” _

_He nearly kicks himself. He should have added that he wanted to help him around, but no, of course he would forget that. He casts a worried gaze onto the other man, fearful of the possible rejection. But he doesn’t get a “no”; instead, Yixing is beaming at him with a smile that nearly knocks Junmyeon off his feet. A smile that has his heart racing a mile a minute. When a smile has ever_ _done that to him is a new development for sure._

_ “I’d like that very much," he hears Yixing say. _

_ The Hufflepuff prefect happily returns the smile with as much of an intensity as he waits for Yixing to join him. They walk past the iron doors to the Transfiguration Courtyard before he hears his companion ask him, “Aren’t you supposed to take points away from me?” _

_ His response is a laugh and “I should, but you aren’t doing anything wrong.” _

_ They traverse through the first floor up to the third floor. There are various sleeping portraits that awake from the light of Junmyeon’s wand, and he has to constantly apologize (many times) to each portrait that they pass. He could hear Yixing chuckling behind him. Even something as simple as a chuckle is causing a flood of heat to rush to his cheeks. It made the simple task of accompanying a friend to the hospital wing all that much more difficult. They reach the hospital wing doors in no time flat, and after uttering a quiet _ Alohomora, _ the taller of the two holds the door for him to enter. Except Junmyeon doesn’t. Because he waits for Yixing to enter. Etiquette calls for it. _

_ “Go ahead, please,” he says. _

_ Yixing shakes his head as a smirk dawns on his face. “Ladies first.” _

_ Junmyeon stares at him flabbergasted, but he can’t hide the stupid smile and feigned shock that upturns his lips. So he does enter and he’s thankful for the dim light in the room because it hides the unmistakable bright tint on his cheeks. Then he remembers that they're in the hospital wing, which so kindly allowed him to subtly change the subject to distract from the sudden warmth in the room. “So what did you need to do in here?” _

_ “I needed to drop off a list of ingredients for the nurse. If she approves of the list, then I can go to the greenhouses to ask the professor there to create a tonic.” _

_ The smile that hung on his lips wavers. His expression pulls into a frown. “A tonic?” He asks, rather stupidly but he hopes that Yixing could catch the concern and worry in his voice. When he gets a simple nod as a response, his frown begins to impossibly deepen. “Yixing, may I ask why you need a tonic?” _

_ “Well, it’s less of a tonic and more of a potion. A remedy of sorts. I need it for my...ah...a friend. That’s all.” _

_ Junmyeon is curious, but he isn’t invasive. He simply nods and waits as Yixing jots down a quick note before tucking both the list of ingredients and the scribbled note under a small paperweight. Then the two leave the wing silently, and this time, it is Junmyeon who holds the door. They don’t say anything, just exchange smiles, as they walk back to their dormitories. At the base of the Grand Staircase, Junmyeon could feel Yixing’s hand fit gently into his. _

_ “Thank you, Junmyeon,” he says. He tugs lightly, wrapping his other arm around Junmyeon’s chest before planting a soft kiss on the shorter man’s cheek. _

_ Like a blaze, Junmyeon’s heart alights as a million indescribable sensations send jolts through his body. He giggles almost like a childish, silly schoolgirl before Yixing pulls away with a very easy smile. And Junmyeon...well, he’s at a loss for words. “It was a pleasure, Yixing,” is all he manages before he glanced shyly at his shoes. _

_ “Would you like to accompany me to Hogsmeade sometime?” _

_ “Ah,” he starts, clearing his throat. The question was sudden, and so woefully unexpected. But it was a delight to hear regardless. “I’d love to.” _

_ The two wrap their night up with rather warmhearted wishes and blessings before departing for their dormitories. Junmyeon glances up as Yixing climbs the stairs two at a time to the Gryffindor dormitory. He smiles as he continues to the Hufflepuff dorms. In the back of his mind, the small memoir of the dinner party dawns on him, but he decides to save the invitation for another night. _

_ He already finished his rounds anyway, and a strange, almost mother-like sense was willing him back to the Hufflepuff dorms anyway. _

* * *

Junmyeon finishes his cup of orange juice before glancing at the awe-struck faces of his younger roommates. He laughs before waving them off. "Again, it isn't...I overhyped it. It was simple and casual."

“Intriguing," Chanyeol mutters as he thoughtfully rubbed his chin. "This is more than just 'honeyed words,' isn't it, Baek?"” The tallest turns his head to look at Baekhyun, who nods his head hysterically.

“They are so a thing!”

Alarmed, Junmyeon waves his hands quickly to dismiss the idea. This was _ not _what he imagined would happen when he told them. “We aren’t together, Byun and Park! We’re just--”

“You say this isn’t a thing, but it’s probably been a thing since the three of us first arrived at Hogwarts!” Chanyeol bellows. Junmyeon has to wave at him again to hush him. “You should make it a thing!”

“I don’t think either of us are ready for something like that yet,” Junmyeon adds with a nervous laugh. He could hope, that was for sure, but a relationship was not something that he was considering at the moment. “Besides, he’s focused on working at St. Mungo’s Hospital while I work to become a professor.”

“He could work in the hospital wing,” Baekhyun whispers eagerly. “Oh that would be beautiful!”

Junmyeon only laughs again. He carefully studies the empty plate of food and the empty goblet as a means to distract himself from the blood rushing quickly to his cheeks. The thought of both him and Yixing working at Hogwarts was definitely...he could certainly imagine it. But it was a mere dream now...he could act upon it later. For now, he had Hogsmeade and the dinner party to contend with.


	8. Wands at the Ready!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Gryffindor and a Slytherin walk into a dueling club...

It had been maybe four days since the Four Horsemen of Hogwarts snuck out, and five days since three had spoken to one of their members. Sehun, Jongin, and Chanyeol all wait at the base of the stairs for Zitao, hands shoved deeply down the pockets of their robes. Jongin fumbles with the edge of the parchment that nested comfortably in his whilst he glances over at the others by his side. He does not mistake the creases that cut into their foreheads, the lines that whisper of pent up frustration and worry as they await their Slytherin’s arrival. To be fair, Jongin can understand their worry; it was one thing to wait. It was another thing if the Slytherin showed.

And he did.

Zitao walks up to them, dejected and hunched, eyes puffier and darker than usual. With the older standing just mere centimeters from him, he cannot miss the thin line of red that color them. Jongin withdrawals his hands from his pockets and throws them tightly around Zitao’s neck.

“I’m sorry, Tao!”

“I should be the one to apologize,” Zitao says quickly. He tugs Jongin off of him, trying to regain his composure. The heavy weight of Jongin’s worried heart was nearly willing his eyes to water. “Sehun, Chanyeol, Jongin, I’m sorry. It was stupid of me to think that I could do something like that and hope to get away with it.” For a moment, he considered the idea of telling them how generous Kris was not to punish them, but he decided against it.

“Hey, no hard feelings,” Chanyeol assures him. His smile crinkles his eyes. “It was fun until that Slytherin prefect prick ruined it. Besides, look!” He points to his hair, which had gone from a deep red to a bright pink, as light and bright as cotton candy. “Baekhyun and I decided to dye our hair together! We’re matching!”

Zitao laughs. “Well, I can’t wait to see you two standing next to each other so I can see the results.”

Sehun rolled his eyes, a fresh smile dawning his lips. It certainly took away from the tension that both Jongin and Zitao had seen earlier on his face. “It’s disgustingly sweet, isn’t it?”

Chanyeol wheels on him. “Oh, Sehunnie, you’ll understand one of these days.”

Sassy Sehun rolled his eyes again, this time motioning for them to follow him. That they did. “Come come,” he cooed. “I’m too busy with a duel for a romantic interest.”

Zitao’s eyes bulge tenfold. “Wait, that’s today?!”

“Yep, and I’m not letting him go down without a fight.”

“You show that Slytherin what an asshole he is!” Chanyeol shouts. When he notices Zitao’s non-threatening glare, he smiles meekly and apologizes. “But seriously, make him  _ pay  _ for hurting our panda!”

“And Dae!” Jongin inserts.

“Be the avenger that Tao and Dae needs!” Chanyeol cheers as the doors to the courtyard open. Everyone stares at them. His bubbly personality does not recede and instead of backing down, he starts waving enthusiastically. As though it were a red carpet event. When his eyes meet that of Luhan’s, though, he takes a moment to tease him before Sehun violently yanked the hood of his robes to make him stop.

As the three take their place on the side of the yard, Sehun walks to the center and faces Luhan. The dueling club leader goes over the rules that both have heard many times already.

Sehun and Luhan bow respectfully when they are ordered to greet their opponent. They walk towards each other, threatening glares unwavering as the crowd around them cheers. Sehun could hear Chanyeol’s not-so-distant “You show him, Sehun!” behind his shoulder, and it very nearly breaks his stoic resolve.

“Let’s make a bet,” Luhan starts with a smirk. “Loser has to buy the winner butterbeer on the next trip to Hogsmeade.”

Sehun returns the coy look. “Sounds like a date, Xiao.” He watches triumphantly as the feeble attempt at intimidation changes to a look of pure shock. And unless his eyes were playing tricks on him, he might have caught sight of a slight blush on Luhan’s pale face. “You’re on.”

The room was thick with tension. Breaths held in waiting anticipation stuffed the corners of the expansive courtyard. It was almost toxic. The two turn their backs to walk to either end of the yard. Then in one smooth movement, they turn on their heels to face each other and raise their wands. Sehun catches a glimpse of his friends watching eagerly. He licks his lips.

“In today’s match, we have Slytherin champion Luhan Xiao fighting against Gryffindor Sehun Oh! Wands at the ready then? Alright. Duel!”

As soon as the last word finishes, Sehun flicks his wand upwards. A bright golden orb shoots from the tip of his wand. As the orb flies to its target, large golden wings sprout from the orb like a snitch. As soon as the corners of his mouth lifts, they turn down as Luhan lunges to his right. The glowing ball continues to fly until it explodes into a distracting explosion of light at the tail end of the Entrance Courtyard. By the time his attention has turned away from the once-mesmerizing ball of light, a jet of silver ejects from the tip of Luhan’s wand at an alarming speed straight towards him. Following closely behind that jet is a swirl of light purple. Had he been a second too quick with his shield, he might have been blown backwards and knock out completely if he impacted with the door. But luckily, the jet of silver dissolves as soon as it hits the light aqua bubble, and Sehun lets out a sigh of relief. He dodges another spell that Luhan sent his way after the previous spell before managing to fire back an  _ Impedimenta _ that successfully strikes his opponent square in the chest.

Luhan stumbles backwards with a gasp. He groans and nearly screams when a gust of white and purple light passes just shy of his shoulder. He laughs hysterically when his temporary moment of incapacitation vanishes and he can climb to his feet. A long jet of thick black coils erupts from his wand and tangle themselves around his opponent’s feet, sending him to the floor. A purple ball of light flies towards him and he quickly ducks. He nearly laughs but the minute he tries to move his legs, he falls onto the floor. He peers up, angry eyes meeting those of his opponent’s. There’s a mischievous glint in them as the taller mutters something and stands; the coils that were once there had vanished. Luhan fumes as he gets on all fours. When he looks up, another quick gust of white and purple is headed straight for him. He drops flat and hears the spell whizz above him. Then he tries to stand again, but by the time he does, the same spell blasts him square in the chest and sends him flying across the courtyard. He landed with a loud thud on his back, a hiss whistling through gritted teeth as his wand flies out of his hand. The soft clink of wood against stone echoes in the silent courtyard. Not a moment later, the crowd erupts in cheers.

“And we have a winner!”

Luhan curses under his breath. How did he manage to lose? He had everything-- _ everything _ \--figured out! He was training all summer! And he lost to a Gryffindor! He shuts his eyes and takes a few deep breaths to compose himself. “Hate this, hate this,” he mutters. A shadow hovers over him, prompting him to open his eyes. He frowns. Sehun is hovering over him, a stupid smug grin on his stupid handsome face. It was so tempting to hex the devilish smile off.

“I believe you owe me a butterbeer.”

“Sod off, you bloody bastard.”

A hand is extended out to him, and against his nature, he takes it. Sehun pulls him to his feet, and he has to admit--the man he had soon dubbed “bastard” definitely had muscle. The fact that Luhan himself would like to see that muscle was something he would never admit aloud.

“Accio Luhan Xiao’s wand,” he hears Sehun shout. In the blink of an eye, his wand is in Sehun’s hand. He takes it with force and stalks off across the courtyard.

Sehun stands triumphantly as his friends and fellow students cheer around him. His gaze lingers on the veela that stares at him at the exit to the viaduct. Their eyes meet and for the briefest moment, Sehun swears he could see that blush on Luhan’s pretty face deepen. He winks, and that prompts the veela leave. Before he could chase after him (and he honestly isn’t sure why he would want to), his friends pull him into a tight hug, screaming and cheering and congratulating him. He isn’t not thankful, per say, but he would happily admit that he wished he could catch the veela before he was gone.

* * *

Luhan stares in the bathroom mirror and tries his best to fix his now riled hair. The duel is still very fresh in his mind, and he silently expels a string of expletives before he goes to criticize himself.

“You practiced and yet you still lost!”

He carts his hands through his dark locks, closing his eyes and counting to ten.

“Slytherin champion,” he mutters. Then he laughs bitterly. “So much for that. Stupid title was torn from me by that...that...the bloody Gryffindor.”

He paused and thought about the plain asshole who fought him. Sehun.

“Stupid Sehun with his stupid brown eyes and stupid blonde hair. Stupid Sehun with his stupidly competent dueling skills. Stupid Sehun with his stupid grin. Stupid Sehun…”

Luhan lets out an exasperated sigh. He stares at his reflection in the mirror. It stares back at him. His hands drop his sides as he inhales deeply.

At that moment, the door opens and in comes a Ravenclaw. But not just any Ravenclaw. It’s Minseok.

By instinct, the two pull out their wands and point readily at each other.

“Come asking me to hex you, Kim?” Luhan jeers. “Or have you come back to beg me to date you again?”

Minseok scoffs. “I’d never let you hex me, Xiao. And you know well that I’ve moved on.”

“Then let me guess, you want me to hex that mudblood friend of yours?”

Minseok takes a step closer. “Don’t you  _ dare  _ touch Jongdae.”

“I’ll make him scream.”

A blast of purple and white hurdles straight towards him. Luhan jumps out of the way, stumbling slightly when he lands. He laughs, and dodges another spell that Minseok sends his way. “You’re too overprotective of your little mudblood, Kim!”

“He isn’t a mudblood!”

Luhan dodges another spell and sends a body-binding curse in Minseok’s direction. A loud bang hits the door and he peeks around the corner. A spell hits the stall close to where he peeked and he ducks back behind cover. He prepares a spell as he hears footsteps attempting to round the stall. Then he jumps out and casts the spell. A bright jet of blue light hits the Ravenclaw and sends him flying backwards onto the floor with a grunt. Luhan smirks as Minseok sits up to glare at him.

“Do you still like your little mudblood after you’ve been  _ Stupefied _ ?” He taunts.

“Shove off, Luhan. One of these days, you taunting me about liking a muggleborn will come back to bite you in the ass.”

Luhan rolled his eyes. “That’s a cute attempt at humor.”

“You aren’t a foreigner to karma and you know it.”

“Dare to say that again, and I might torture you with the  _ Cruciatus Curse _ .”

“I know you well enough to know that you won’t do that.”

Luhan huffs, but takes a step forward and offers his hand. Minseok takes it and is hauled to his feet. He immediately lets his hand slip out as he storms to the exit. “You and your filthy little mudblood aren’t off the hook just yet, got it?”

Minseok rolls his eyes before he goes to the very back stall in the bathroom. He looks over his shoulder to shout, “You and your threats won’t sink my ship, Xiao!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, this chapter is shorter than I thought. Also, I apologize for the extremely late update! Believe me when I say that I seriously did not anticipate an intense workload for my current semester. I apologize for the sudden hiatus!
> 
> A quick "inquiry" that I wanna bring up:  
They aren't in the story and I don't plan on making them a part of the EXO-related plot, but I'm thinking of doing a possible spin-off with this timeline for NCT. Given, it'll be a much smaller story (especially since I don't know the twenty-one or so people in the group aha oops), but it's an idea that I'm toying with right now.  
Definitely not in this chapter, perhaps not even in the very next few chapters...but some chapter in the future, I'm planning on dropping a "cameo" of sorts for the NCT Hogwarts AU. I'd love to know your thoughts on that. :3
> 
> Anywho, thank you for all of your support and your patience in my updates to this story! I really appreciate it, more than I can describe. <3


	9. Wild Ride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riding on a broom with your best friend is basically a dream come true...so is talking one-on-one with your crush in the library!

For the past few weeks, the heavy rain had forced the house teams to cancel quidditch practice. Kyungsoo had argued with Minseok that this was a good thing because it allowed Minseok to focus on school. But of course, the Quidditch player saw it differently--he would be getting rusty with each day that he didn’t play. (And he wouldn’t be able to show off for Jongdae...not that _ that _had yielded any solid results.)

So when practice was open again for the teams, Minseok and his team had beelined straight to the quidditch pitch after classes. And wow did he really miss his broom. He missed the feeling of air rushing past him as he rode. He missed the slight weight of the quaffle as he carried it under his arm. He missed the satisfaction of scoring a goal in the tallest hoop. He missed all of it, and now, the feeling of experiencing everything that he missed sent a wave of adrenaline pumping through his system.

He stood up on the handle of his Firebolt and tosses the quaffle far faster than his keeper could anticipate. The ball flies through the hoop without a hitch and as he swoops around to retrieve the ball, he could hear a gaggle of Ravenclaw girls cheering for him. He settles back onto the handle of his broom before waving at them.

He glances past them and stops his gaze just a few stands away where two boys sit. One has his head down at two parchments, his half eaten sandwich sitting right beside him in a small lunchbox. The other glances back and forth between Minseok and his friend. Minseok inwardly sighs.

“Hey, Dae! Soo!” He flies over to them in less than a minute.

The busy boy looks up at him with a smile. “Yes?”

Kyungsoo just smiles.

“How’d I do?”

“I wasn’t looking,” Jongdae replies. He smiles sheepishly. Beside him, Kyungsoo just watches amusingly as Minseok’s face drops.

“Aww, come on, Dae!”

“I’m sorry, Min!” He laughs. “It’s difficult to pay attention to your practice when I’m busy doing your homework.”

Minseok pretends that he’s seething. Of course, Jongdae doesn’t take it seriously. “You owe me, Dae.”

“I’m already doing your homework for you, Min!” He laughs again. “If anything, it’s you who owes me!”

“Soo, he owes me, right?” Minseok huffs.

Kyungsoo shrugs. “Sorry, Min, I wasn’t paying attention.” He laughs at Minseok’s feigned shock.

“Hey, Minseok!” One of the quidditch players shouted. Minseok looks over his shoulder and just nods.

“I’ll be back in a few,” he says before dismissing himself.

Kyungsoo turns his attention to Jongdae, who was definitely watching as Minseok was showing off again. His eyes were studying every move of the Ravenclaw chaser from the way he barrel rolls past an incoming bludger to the way he throws and catches the quaffle before doing a rather extravagant toss into the tallest hoop. Kyungsoo looks at the way a hint of Jongdae’s drool is hanging from his lips. When the other notices him staring, he looks down at the two pieces of parchment in his lap and wipes away the stray droplet of saliva. Jongdae continues pretending to busy himself on the homework. Kyungsoo rolls his eyes.

“You know one of these days, he’ll catch you staring,” Kyungsoo points out nonchalantly.

“I’m not staring,” Jongdae says rather quickly. He shrugs before he continues on Minseok’s essay.

Kyungsoo nearly scoffs. “So what? You just happen to watch him when he’s showing off for you?.”

Jongdae laughs. “He’s just doing all that to impress the girls at the other end of the stands.”

Kyungsoo is half tempted to punch him upside down. Either Jongdae was really dense or he was genuinely oblivious. Or he was trying to seem humble. At this point, it could be all three at once. Regardless, he was having none of it. He stands and turns to Jongdae. “I’ll be at the library, alright? I’ll meet you two at dinner.”

“Do you want to wait until Minseok’s done? I think he’s wrapping up right now.”

Kyungsoo looks between the team and Jongdae. He shakes his head. “I’ll be good. See you in a bit.”

“See you then!” Jongdae shouts before he is out of earshot. He looks back at the two parchments in front of him and quickly finishes off the essay before tucking the assignments into his messenger bag. He watches Minseok with eager eyes; watches as he flies around the stadium, watches as he eases to a stop and hovers right above Jongdae. He smiles.

“Want a ride?”

Jongdae stuffs his lunchbox into his messenger bag before standing. “I can walk myself down,” he answers, trying not to sound rude. Or even fearful. He doesn’t mind the height, but he remembered how he fell off in their first year during flying lessons. That was embarrassing enough then, and he really doesn’t want a repeat of that event. He smiles halfheartedly.

“I’ll go easy on you. I promise.”

Jongdae can see that glint in Minseok’s eyes. There’s a look of reassurance, of trust. It’s a familiar look that he recognizes. It’s the look that Minseok gave him in their first year when Jongdae was so new to all of this magical stuff. That look made anyone feel at home; like they were wrapped in the comfiest sweater with a warm cup of cocoa, lazing around in front of the fireplace. So when the hand of the Ravenclaw chaser and captain is extended out to him, he takes it without a second thought.

He shakily climbs sits behind Minseok, legs dangling as he squishes his bag between his chest and Minseok’s back. Then he wraps his arms around the chaser’s torso, not too tightly to halt his breathing but not too loosely that he would fall off. His head rests on Minseok’s shoulder and a light smile arises on his face. Jongdae could stay like this forever, cuddled next to his best friend like this. He just hopes Minseok is smiling too.

“Ready?”

“Yeah.”

Then they take off at a nice, easy flight. He closes his eyes and lets the feeling of the breeze flow through his short hair, past his face, fluttering his eyelashes. The butterflies that come from dropping are in his stomach, but they don’t make him feel nauseous. Instead, the light, airy feeling sort of settles comfortably in his gut and eventually, simply passes. How long they fly around for, he isn't sure. All he knows is that once his feet hit the solidarity of grass and dirt, he misses flying around on Minseok’s broom.

He is slow to move from his position once they have landed. He clings like a koala to a tree, his small impassable smile still on his face. It’s only when Minseok chuckles that he retreats. His cheeks heat up and he looks away once he climbs off the broom.

“It wasn’t as bad as you thought, right?”

Jongdae shakes his head.

“Maybe you could be the new seeker,” he hears Minseok joke. He hits him.

“I’m not good with quidditch. Just good with books.”

“And good at looking cute.”

Jongdae laughs and hits Minseok again. “Go get changed so we can get back to the castle.”

Minseok cocks a brow up, a rather suggestive smirk playing at his lips. “Don’t you want to watch?”

“I will personally hex you first.”

“You don’t mean it. You’re far too kind to do that.”

“You’re right,” he says. He pushes Minseok and follows behind him. “But you’ll be the first person I jinx.”

Minseok stops and turns on him. His pointer finger boops the tip of Jongdae’s nose. “Or, I will be the one to put something like a jinx on you.”

“I did your homework. Jinx me, and I won’t do it when you’re at practice.”

“You say that,” Minseok says slowly, “but you’re the one who volunteers all the time.”

“Do not.”

“Do to.”

Jongdae rolls his eyes. Minseok laughs. He pushes him. “Go change! I’m hungry!”

He shoves Minseok again before the older could say anything more inappropriate. Then Jongdae groans, hands flying to cover his face as a deep flush heats his cheeks and redden the tips of his ears. _ Why, Min, why? Why do you do this to me? _

* * *

If there’s absolutely anything that Kyungsoo prays for, it’s that Jongdae and Minseok would give him the peace and quiet that comes with going to the library. He forgot about how much he really missed the place. He missed the old library smell; a faint hint of vanilla with a fruity almond flavor. When that old, familiar scent comes wafting his nostrils, he inhales deeply and smiles. He goes to his own special spot at the back of the library, setting his messenger bag down to retrieve his belongings, of which includes a small mason jar.

He retrieves his wand and with a whisper, generates a small ball of blue flames that hops into the jar. He levitates the jar to the middle of the desk and sits down to comfortably work on his homework.

* * *

Jongin goes to the library with an odd amount of determination running through his veins. The young boy was on a mission and it started at the library. It always did. He wasn’t really sure if his adventure would bear any fruit, however, as the last few times that he had been at the library, the Ravenclaw prefect that he had seen was never there. But it was worth a shot. Plus, he had some books he had to return for Junmyeon anyway, so he wasn’t just here to do nothing.

Honestly, he was really hoping that the Ravenclaw he liked would be there. Everytime he had seen him in the corridors, Jongin would always try to greet him or get his attention, but that had always gone ignored. He wasn’t sure if it was because half the time, it was packed full of students like a tin of sardines or if it was because the Ravenclaw was avidly ignoring him. He hoped it was the former rather than the latter. He lost track of how many times he tried to get his attention too, but it was always like an unrewarding trek. Like when he tried to visit the library to search for the Ravenclaw.

He looks at the four books in his arms and goes towards the back of the library. When he walks down one aisle, he picks up one of the four books and when he goes to put it back in a slot, the book flies from his grip. He watches it with a child-like fascination as it floats up to where it rightfully belongs and shoves itself between the other books that move out of its way. He stares at the remaining three books in his arms and quickly goes to put them away.

Maybe thirty minutes pass, but he still can’t find a place for the last book. He frowns and scratches his head. “_ ‘Book of Spells,’” _ he reads aloud. His confused frown only grows deeper.

He looks around, hoping to find someone to help him. Then he spots him--the Ravenclaw. The one with the cute doe-eyes, the one with the heart-shaped lips, the one that said “thank you” to him that one time in the Great Hall. Jongin’s heart alights with fireworks just as butterflies begin to invade his stomach.

What should he do? Should he introduce himself? Sehun said he should. If there was ever a time to do it, it would be _ now _! The guy was alone! They could get to know each other one-on-one!

With some bouts of Gryffindor courage riding high in his system, he walks forward and sat himself down across from the Ravenclaw. Though the minute his tush touches the seat, all courage seeps from him and he nearly curls in on himself. He smiles shyly as he fingers at the corner of the book in his hands. The boy still hasn’t noticed him, so with all the bravery he could muster, he lets out a really quiet, “Hi.”

The Ravenclaw looks up. How he had heard the nearly-muted greeting is beyond Jongin’s comprehension, but he repeats the phrase monotonously. “Hi.”

Jongin sticks his hand out, trying for a more friendly approach. “My name is Jongin.”

The Ravenclaw takes his hand, albeit hesitantly, and shakes it, albeit slowly. “Kyungsoo.”

Then they keep shaking hands before Jongin has half a mind to retrieve his clammy hand. And they sit there. Awkwardly. Because in all honesty, Jongin didn’t think he’d get this far. Thinking of something this far ahead was definitely not part of his script. Now he’s stuck and confused and definitely has no idea what to do.

“Did you need something?” Kyungsoo asks, raising an eyebrow. He looks between the book that Jongin is fingering and Jongin’s anxious face. If this young Hufflepuff had nothing he wanted or needed, then he would really like to get back to his homework. And his books.

Jongin just stares at him with awe. And it might have freaked Kyungsoo out because he looks back at his books and parchment. _ Quick, _ he tells himself, _ think of something--anything! _ “So...how are you?”

Kyungsoo remains silent.

_ Right, _ Jongin thinks. He looks at the book in his hands. An idea pops into his head as he holds up the book. “Do you know where this book goes? I’ve been trying to find out where it belongs, but so far, I’ve been unable to guess. I’ve walked down every aisle in hopes that the book would magically float to where it belonged so that I don’t have to worry about--”

Kyungsoo just stares up at him through black-rimmed glasses. His lower lip is tucked between his teeth. The sight took Jongin’s breath away and his mind is utter mush. He forgot what he was talking about. What was he talking about?

“_ ‘Book of Spells’ _by Miranda Goshawk?” Kyungsoo asked.

Jongin had to look at the book to realize that he was talking about the book. He nods, perhaps a little too quickly.

“Take it to the librarian. She should be able to take it back to the Restricted Section.”

The Restricted Section. Wait, _ THE _Restricted Section?! Jongin’s jaw drops as he gapes. Oh Merlin, was he in trouble? Junmyeon checked out a book from the Restricted Section?! And Jongin was turning it in for him?! Would he be sent to Azkaban for simply holding the book? The book’s contents seemed harmless enough. But it was from the Restricted Section! So it had to be bad! He was only a fifth year student too! Would he be in trouble? He didn’t have a permission slip. What if he got reported to the headmaster? He didn’t want to disappoint his family by being sent back to Godric’s Hollow before the year even ended. What was he going to do?

Kyungsoo, sort of sensing his distress, leans forward to take the book from his grasp. “I’ll return it for you, Jongin. And no, you won’t be sent to Azkaban, alright?” He chuckles and shakes his head.

The few seconds that tick by seemed like hours before Jongin snapped out of his trance. He just stands and bows many, many times. “Thank you, Kyungsoo, thank you! Thank you!”

The Ravenclaw waves him off and shakes his head. “No worries. Was that all?”

_ No, that isn’t all. Jongin, get up and talk! _ Jongin half listens to himself by getting to his feet. But he doesn’t say anything more and just simply shakes his head. Now he was mentally kicking himself. “I think that’s it.”

Kyungsoo smiles at him again. “Well, Jongin, it was nice meeting you.”

“As it was nice meeting you too,” he replies. And kicks himself again. How much more awkward could he be?

“See you around then?”

“Yeah, see you around, Kyungsoo! I hope we can hang out sometime.” As if that was his queue, he quickly turns on his heel and beelines for the exit. They just barely met each other and _ that _was what he said?! The sooner he leaves, the better, right? The sooner he leaves, the more time he had to chastise himself for being a complete, bumbling idiot.

A hand grabs his wrist and stops him dead in his tracks. He turns to see Kyungsoo standing right there behind him. Really close to him. With his hand holding Jongin’s wrist. Oh, Jongin could just faint from how hot his cheeks were flaming right now. He notices a light pink tint on Kyungsoo’s cheeks before the boy backs away from him, a small smile on his face. “Sorry,” he hears him say in that really velvety voice, “but yeah, I’ll see you later.”

Jongin just nods. He’s at a complete loss for words. As Kyungsoo returns to his desk, Jongin leaves the library.

When he has absentmindedly made it to the entrance courtyard, he starts dancing and skipping and cheering. A smile that glows brighter than the sun is on his face. He doesn’t care about all the students that are just staring at him. He’s happy--beyond happy--and riding on a high that he can’t get himself off of. He talked to the Ravenclaw he liked, learned that his name was Kyungsoo, and he freely admits to the fact that he’s the happiest that he’s ever been in his entire life.

* * *

By the time dinner rolls around, Jongin is skipping to where his friends have gathered. Zitao, Sehun, and Chanyeol stare up at him with wonder. He happily ignores their questions for the time being as he sits down and indulges in a roasted chicken drumstick and a cup of iced pumpkin juice. Before he could start on another chicken, a hand stopped him. When he looks up, he beams as his three friends simply stare at him with an even mixture of concern and curiosity.

“What happened, Jongin?” Zitao asks. He reaches over and picks up Jongin’s cup of pumpkin juice, peering inside. “Did someone add something to the juice?”

“If they did, it isn’t affecting us,” Sehun points out. Chanyeol snorts at him from across the table.

“I don’t know, guys,” the sorta-giant says as he feigns giddy happiness, “I think it’s starting to affect me too.”

Zitao scoffs. “You’re always like that though.”

Chanyeol pretends to be offended. “Why, Zitao, I’m hurt!”

Zitao rolls his eyes at the mention of his full first name before he smiles. Sehun and Chanyeol bawl into a light fit of laughter. Jongin simply smiles, just like Zitao, though a smile had remained on his face ever since the afternoon started.

“Okay, being serious, what happened, Jongin?”

“I talked to him,” Jongin says simply. His smile is still as wide and bright as ever.

As though time stills, Zitao, Sehun and Chanyeol stare at him with wide eyes. “No way! Wait, really?! What happened?!” They all ask at once.

“I mean, I just sort of met him. His name is Kyungsoo, he has a really deep voice, and he has the cutest laugh in the entire world.”

“You heard him laugh?”

“Well it was more like a chuckle.”

Chanyeol, who’s sitting right beside Jongin, wraps his long arms around him and pulls him into a tight bear hug. Jongin happily returns the hug. “I’m so happy for you!”

Several heads turn to stare at them before Chanyeol waves them away.

“Any plans set in stone? One of our Hogsmeade trips is coming up,” Zitao adds. He sets Jongin’s pumpkin juice back down before picking up his own drink.

Jongin shrugs. “I don’t know though. I think for now, I’ll take it slow.”

“Any slower and we’ll graduate,” Sehun teases. That earns him a slap on his arm from Zitao. “But I won’t argue that it’s a bad move since you two just met and all. Properly, I mean.”

Jongin nods. He’s happy with his plan, really. Even if he thinks he’s ready to head straight into a relationship with his crush, they did _ just _meet. Besides, he hardly knew Kyungsoo. The thought of getting to know him was...honestly really exciting.

* * *

Kyungsoo’s mind is hopping between two things right now. The first is his friends’ progress in their steps to engaging in a proper relationship (because he’s seen the whole just-be-friends thing and the pine-while-your-friend-is-taken thing, and both are not fun to deal with). The second thing in his mind was unrelated to his two friends that are eyeing each other with happy smiles. He was thinking about the Hufflepuff boy in the library. The shy one that was bumbling about how he couldn’t figure out where a Restricted Section book belonged. Kyungsoo doesn’t know why, but he seemed familiar, like he saw him somewhere before.

“Hey, guys,” he says to his two dreamy-looking friends. They turn to look at him with their full attention. “Do either of you know someone named ‘Jongin?’”

Immediately, Jongdae’s eyes light up. He nods vigorously. Almost like Jongin did in the library. “I do! Well, vaguely. He helped me up that one time when Luhan jinxed me.”

So that was Jongin? “How did he look?”

“Reddish brown hair, kind of full lips, sharp jaw, tan skin...what’s up, Min?”

When Kyungsoo looks over, he could see that Minseok’s jaw has gone taut, eyes are almost dark, fist clenched. Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. As soon as he realizes the attention is on him, Minseok’s jaw goes slack and he unfurls his fist. “Nothing,” he says simply as he stares down at his plate.

“Reddish brown hair, sharp jaw…” Kyungsoo repeats under his breath. He hardly remembers the boy he met in the library, and with the little amount of light he had from his blueflame ball in a jar, he isn’t sure what color hair that Jongin has. Nor is he sure how tan the boy is. But it has to be the same one. What are the chances that he’d meet someone else at Hogwarts with the same exact name and same exact features?

“Why’d you ask, Soo?”

He stares at Jongdae and shrugs. “Just trying to compare with someone I met in the library is all.”

Minseok lifted a brow and smirked. “So you finally found someone, huh?”

“He and I just met, Min. We aren’t ‘a thing’ as you would call it.”

“But maybe you’ll finally shed the ice that’s frosted over that stone-cold heart of yours?”

“We literally just--”

“When do you think you two will start being a thing? Because you could really use someone warm in your life.”

“I will reiterate. We just--”

“When’s the first date?”

“Min, I swear, I will assign you detention if you press any more. Jongin and I just met.”

That seemed to shut Minseok up, but he still had that smug look on his face. Jongdae just laughs as Kyungsoo tosses a piece of toast at Minseok. Who somehow manages to catch it and pop it into his mouth. Kyungsoo fumes and just threatens him with detention again.

(“I swear, Min, I’ll put you in detention until you’re gray.”

“Not gonna happen, Soo!”)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In these chaotic times, I hope that all of you are doing alright! Lots has happened with school, and it's a whole thing and a half with what my school is doing, but I will happily admit that it is giving me some free time to write (and update). Spring break just started for me, and we're transitioning to online classes for a month at the least.
> 
> But yeah, here's the update! I hope you all are doing well. Stay healthy, stay safe, take care of yourselves! <3


	10. Do I Dare?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Did Zitao dare to step out of the bounds of the school rules and his own comfort zone? All in the name of love...?

Luhan watches his gray cat Zhu curl into a soft ball to sleep. He smiles and pets the top of the animal's head, fingers running down the feline's spine and ends shy of his swaying tail. The cat's ear twitches for a moment before flattening against the top of its head. With a slight chuckle, Luhan withdraws and undoes his green and silver-striped tie, tucking the satin material into his dresser. As he goes to slip his robes off, the door to the dormitory opens, forcing him to glance over. The corner of his lip turns upward as he greets Kris. The prefect nods his head, proceeding to change out of his uniform.

“How are things with you,” he asks. Once his robes are neatly folded, he begins to pull off his vest.

Kris shrugs. “Alright. You?”

“Can you believe I lost my title of ‘dueling champion’ to a Gryffindor?”

Kris just stares at him, dark eyes turning cold. “You lost to a Gryffindor? ”

“Some bloke named Sehun Oh,” Luhan says dismissively. “I owe the bastard a butterbeer.”

The dungeon, once impossibly cold, is suddenly flooded with a warm laugh from the prefect.

Luhan frowns. “This isn’t funny, Kris! I lost my position to a Gryffindor! I’m going to lose my money to Sehun!”

“Good job, Lu, congrats,” he manages between guffaws. He shakes his head and continues to undress. “Are you actually going to go through and give him a butterbeer?”

“I sorta have to...I mean, everyone was there. I can’t back down on a gentleman’s agreement.”

“You don’t have to, really. Nobody would really know if you did or didn’t.” Kris’s gaze finally meets his. “Unless, of course, you want to.”

Then the atmosphere in the room seems to grow awkward. The silence is impossibly loud. The sound of cloth rubbing against cloth felt like it could be heard from the common room. Zhu’s soft purring might have been insanely clear for the person at the other side of the room. Luhan’s breathing might as well be hooked up to a microphone and blasted to the Ministry; it seemed all too loud.

Kris thought he wanted to take Sehun out. Him! Luhan! A Slytherin! Take who? Sehun! Out to get butterbeer! It was absolute heresy! Scandalizing! Why would he, Luhan Xiao, take out Sehun Oh to get drinks? He would rather be kissed by a dementor rather than go on what could be categorized as a date with Sehun! (Okay, no, that was a complete lie--even he wouldn’t go on a date with a dementor if his life depended on it. Nor would he fly to the highest peak of Everest instead of going on a date with Sehun. Because he had dignity, and going out with Sehun was way more preferable than a dementor’s kiss and the heights of Everest. He was picky, not stupid.)

“I never said that I wanted to,” he says after a very strenuous moment of silence. “I just have to. What kind of gentleman would I be if I didn’t live up to my word?”

“Right,” Kris coughs. “Because it’s definitely just a gentleman’s word rather than you fancying him.”

“I don’t _fancy_ Sehun.”

Kris just raises a brow before he continues to change. “Whatever you insist,” he finishes.

Before Luhan could begin to protest, the door to the dormitory opens, and in walks a blonde haired boy perhaps no taller than Luhan himself (okay, perhaps he was a hair taller). In his arms is a small snow owl and a letter. He hears Kris still beside him and when he glances over, he does indeed notice how the prefect’s lips part, how his eyes widen ever so slightly. He smirks before tossing his pillow. Kris glares at him. When Luhan nods his head in the direction of the blonde haired boy that just walked in, Kris blatantly ignores him and continues to change. He unbuttons his shirt.

“Hey, Huang!” Luhan calls, and he swears he could hear Kris curse him under his breath.

Zitao looks over and immediately flushes a deep crimson. The tips of his ears redden, as did the apples of his cheeks. His eyes grow twice their size and his jaw goes slack. He also, very nearly, drops his owl (the owl flies to safety before he could do anything). Then realizing how embarrassing he must have looked, he picks himself up and looks away. Luhan watches his Adam’s apple bob as he gulps, and that caused his smirk to widen into a grin.

“Xiao,” Kris says after a momentary silence, “what did I say about you talking with Huang?”

Luhan just turns on him. “That I can talk to him all I like?”

“Do you want another detention?”

Luhan spares a glance at Zitao, watching how his eyes are immediately aimed at Kris’s abs. His gaze focuses back on Kris. “So you want to issue me detention so that you and Huang can spend some quality time together? I see how you’re playing.”

Kris gapes. His mouth opens, but closes immediately when no words come out. He grits his teeth and decides to shake his head. When he looks at Zitao, his eyes turn almost predatory before he cocks his head to the side. Zitao, thankfully, gets his signal and just retreats to his four poster bed. His heated gaze focuses on Luhan once again.

“I swear, Luhan, you’re making it very tempting to--”

“Please, Kris, don’t tell me about your fantasies with Huang in the room. Indulge with him, not me.”

Kris furls and unfurls his fist as he tries to convince himself that it wasn’t worth losing house points to hex Luhan. He blows out his steam and decides to finish changing. After hearing the veela’s teasing for long enough, he decides to Langlock him for the time being. The veela just stares at him with a raging fury in his eyes, though he does nothing and just continues to change.

Zitao, on the other hand, was sitting with his knees drawn to his chest. The raging blush that had heated his entire system was unbearable. Almost as unbearable as the image that’s burned into his head. Had he really just seen Kris naked (okay, half nude but still)? Honestly, the prefect could probably crush him in his sleep for even daring to look. Then Zitao thought about whether or not he should tell his friends because, like the other incident where Kris actually decided not to report them to the heads of houses, this was something that he should refrain from spilling. Would it tarnish the prefect’s reputation? Or would something like this enhance it? How many of the Slytherin girls would fawn over him? And why was Zitao getting jealous at the mere thought of the Slytherin girls clinging to someone that didn’t even belong to him?

He runs his hands down his face, stifling a groan behind pursed lips. His hands dangle uselessly at his side before he finally decides to open the letter Kandy carried to him. The little insignia that is drawn crudely in the letter dances a bit. He smiles before skimming the contents. Then he frowns, needing to read the letter once more. He nearly audibly gasps before he tosses the letter quickly inside his bedside drawer and shuts it.

There’s absolutely no way that I’ll go out again! Never! Kris would see that I’m not here, he mentally screams. Unless he doesn’t know I’m here .

Maybe he could cast a muffle spell on himself before he sneaks out? If Kris didn’t have rounds that night, that is. He usually always patrolled then, so maybe they could just miss each other? And if they miss each other, as long as he was back here before Kris found out, everything would be okay! Maybe he should take a leap and join his friends? But even that sounds like an awful idea, especially considering the last time that they got caught. When did Chanyeol want to meet up?

A tap on his shoulder jolts him from his thoughts as a scream rips through his throat. Immediately, his hands fly to his mouth when he looks to see who is standing in front of him. Their hand is placed on the top of his four-poster as they push their weight onto one leg. A hand is on their hip and they are wearing a very confused look on their face. He gulps and quickly buries his hands in the folds of his blanket.

“Hi, Kris,” he greets timidly.

“Zitao, ah…” The taller tries to read his fearful expression. “Sorry about earlier. Leave it to Luhan to take things out of control, right?”

Zitao laughs...awkwardly. “Yeah. Is he...um…”

“Silenced? For the time being. Couldn’t stand him running his mouth.”

Zitao simply nods, not daring to take a peek at the veela. Mostly out of fear that he’d be hexed. “Did you need something?”

“I just wanted to apologize, really.”

“Oh.” _How disappointing_, Zitao says mentally. “It’s not a problem. Thank you, Kris.”

Another smile from the prefect causes his heart to nearly stop. Then as fast as he had seen it, the smile disappears from beyond his view as Kris walks back to his bed. Zitao huffs like a child. With nothing better to do and wanting to preoccupy himself before bed, he pulls out the letter from his drawer and stares at it.

“Next Thursday evening, Entrance Courtyard, eight o’clock,” he repeats in a hushed tone. “‘Need to test a broom out that arrived in the mail.’”

* * *

  
  


The following day, Zitao had decided to interrogate his friends during their History of Magic class. Yes, he didn’t care that the class was crucial to their O.W.L. exams (okay, maybe he did care). Anything was better than listening to Professor Binns drone on for hours and hours. Besides, the professor hardly noticed how his own students were either half asleep, completely asleep, or were playing with (sometimes obnoxiously loud) magical objects. So now seemed like a perfect time as any to talk about their plans, especially since the other students were all away in dreamland.

“Chanyeol. Chanyeol!” Zitao hisses. The Hufflepuff with pointy ears looks at him with a beaming smile. It really is a welcome sight. “About your plan…”

“You won’t chicken out on us now, right?! Besides, it’s absolutely crucial ,” Chanyeol insisted.

“But, Chan--”

“Tao, please! Nini and Hun agreed! Please don’t back out on us!”

Zitao huffs. He tries to turn his attention back to Professor Binns, fails to understand anything that comes from the ghost’s lips, and turns back to Chanyeol. He considered telling them what Kris had told him (about sneaking out a second time and actually getting docked points), but the puppy eyes that Chanyeol was giving him was starting to sway him. “Fine, but if we get caught--”

“I know, I know! Just trust me!” Chanyeol insists. Then he winks. Zitao just looks back at the front of the classroom with a casual eye roll.

* * *

Come a week’s time, Zitao is dragged along by a very determined Chanyeol while Jongin and Sehun follow not too far behind them. He isn’t sure why he agreed to this, especially if the huge bubble of fear that sits uncomfortably in his stomach has not left since that morning. He feels scared, and that wasn’t an understatement. He had absolutely no idea where he was being dragged, except for the fact that the path to it was just off of the Entrance Courtyard. He followed behind Chanyeol, who was babbling quite too loud for someone who was supposed to be sneaking around. Jongin and Sehun were quiet behind him, and if he hadn’t heard the sounds of their shoes hitting each of the stone stairs beneath them, he would have assumed they had ditched.

“Chanyeol, please be quiet,” he begs. “I don’t want to get caught.”

“Live a little, Tao!”

“Chanyeol! I had to take the fall last time!”

“No,” Sehun says above him. “Chanyeol, Jongin, and I took the fall.”

Not helping, Zitao thinks. He doesn’t say anything, and that seemed to give all the satisfaction that Chanyeol needed.

“So that’s why this time, we’re going to have you take the fall!”

“Doesn’t it depend on the prefect who catches us?” Jongin asks suddenly. They turn from the stairs and walk down a straight path. Then reach more stairs and continue to descend.

“Yes, it super depends on the prefect that catches us. Regardless, we’ll say this was Tao’s idea!” Chanyeol replies.

The wind seemed to grow colder the further down they went. If the torch sconces weren’t there, the four of them might have just fallen to their doom. At least, that was what Zitao imagined in his head. Not that he’d want that to happen. And he suddenly wished he brought a sweater because the sudden breeze that hits them sends a very violent shiver through his entire frame. He remains silent and continues to follow.

At the end of the stairs is the boathouse. Zitao recognizes the stone structure--this was where they all landed when they first arrived at Hogwarts in their first year. He had honestly forgotten that it stood at the bottom of the castle, close to the lake. The lake that is as black as midnight; the lake that was supposedly teeming with various magical creatures. It frightened him just slightly, to say the least.

“Chanyeol, why are we here?”

“I’m glad you asked! You see, we’re here because we are scoping out the place.”

“For what?” Sehun asks. He walks around a bit and backs up when he notices the edge of the dock.

“My baby Baekhyunnie and I are planning another date, and since we already had one in the Astronomy Tower, we want to try something a little different. We figured that a date at the boathouse, where we first met, would be a great way to celebrate our five-year anniversary!”

Zitao walks towards the edge of the dock. Not too close, but only close enough to peer over. The faint light of the moon bobs over the ripples in the lake. “Isn’t it a bit...cold here?”

“We’re thinking of bringing blankets,” Chanyeol adds. He kneels beside Tao. “Isn’t this place absolutely beautiful?”

“I guess if I were in your shoes, maybe.”

“One day, when you and your Slytherin prefect get together, you’ll definitely find that special place.”

Zitao freezes. Whether it was from Chanyeol’s nonchalant comment or the cold wind from the lake, he isn’t sure. He shakes his head. “We aren’t...like that.”

Chanyeol merely chuckles. “Not with that attitude.”

Zitao just gapes at him. Then he waves him off and decides to focus his attention on the moon’s distorted reflection. He could get used to this, really. The lake was gorgeous (albeit frightening).

Jongin smiles when his eyes catch how peaceful Zitao looks. It was unlike the panic that overtook him when they were walking down to the boathouse earlier. He’s half tempted to join him, but decides instead to remain in his spot. Out of the corner of his eye, he catches the distinct bulb of a white light. He frowns, but immediately, his heartbeat rises as it gets closer.

“Guys,” he starts warily. “I think--oh it’s him!”

“Who?” Zitao asks, quickly getting to his feet. Chanyeol joins him.

“Kyungsoo!” Jongin answers. His jaw is slack, his eyes wide. Sehun laughs.

“Don’t call him over!” Zitao hisses. “We don’t want to get caught.”

Jongin watches in anticipation as the light from Kyungsoo’s wand comes closer. It hovers for a moment before it continues towards them. He takes a step forward. Then another, and another, and another until--

“Just what do you think you’re doing out here this late?”

Another voice. Zitao immediately knows who it is. “Merlin’s--”

“Zitao, what are you doing out this late?”

“Oh! He was just going for a swim!” Chanyeol answers. He quickly steps back and pushes his dearest friend into the water.

Zitao falls into the lake with a yelp and a loud splash. The water is freezing--it feels like his body is encapsulated in a block of ice. It feels like he’s sinking ever so slowly until a pair of hands grabbed his shoulders and tugged him up. He lands on the stone of the docks, spluttering and coughing and shivering. His teeth are chattering, and he can’t actually register anything other than how cold he was with the breeze from the lake mingling with his soaked clothes. He looks guiltily at Kris, an apologetic look in his eyes. He hears the prefect sigh before watching as he turns his wand clockwise. A sudden wave of warmth wraps comfortably around his cold body. He smiles cutely at Kris, who just looks away as the Ravenclaw prefect Jongin is fawning over meets them.

“Kris,” Kyungsoo greets. His eyes look at each of the students before resting on Zitao. “What happened?”

“One of his friends pushed him in the water. I just got him out.”

Kyungsoo nods and looks at Jongin. He smiles before turning back to Kris. “Would you like me to walk them back up to the castle?”

“I have it handled. Thank you, Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo nods and heads back up to the castle.

Kris looks at Zitao. “You warm enough?”

The young Slytherin stands up, notices how Sehun and Chanyeol are making hand motions for him to kiss the prefect before he simply nods and answers, “Yeah, I’m good.”

“Now, as the four of you are out after hours, I will have to--”

“Hey, Kris…”

The prefect turns to look at Zitao. His hair is still matted to his forehead. Small droplets of water are still sticking to his pale skin, and Kris is half tempted to wipe them away. He doesn’t, just moves his eyes up and down over the shorter boy’s form. “Yeah?”

“I...ah...well, I was…wondering...if you wanted to go to Hogsmeade with me?”

Kris stares at him. He studies him. Hogsmeade with Zitao? A million thoughts are running through his brain, all related to ways of how he could say yes. His heart is beating impossibly fast, and it’s a struggle and a half trying to hide the smile that is desperately clawing at his lips. He shrugs. “Alright.”

It’s Zitao’s turn to stare at him. His eyes are wide, ears and cheeks flushed red (though that could have just been from the cold). “That was a ‘yes,’ right?”

Kris nods. Zitao continues to stare.

“Back up to the castle, you four.”

“What about our points?” Jongin asks. Sehun claps a hand over the tanned boy’s mouth.

“I’ll give you four a warning this time. But next time around, I won’t be so nice. Now start moving before I change my mind.”

Chanyeol grabs Zitao by his arm and drags him along with Sehun and Jongin. Kris follows behind them.

“Great idea, Tao! That was solid,” Chanyeol cheers. He has a huge grin on his face. “Next time we get caught by him, you should definitely kiss him to excuse us!”

Sehun turns his gaze from the steps to Zitao. “Are you actually going to go to Hogsmeade with him though?”

Zitao thinks about the words that spilled from his lips just now. He doesn’t look behind him, for fear that he would do something stupid to embarrass himself in front of the prefect. He smiles shyly. “Yeah, I think it’ll be fun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We currently have no wifi at my new house, so I apologize for the late update! We should have our company install it soon, so in the meantime, I will work on the next chapter (and other works) until then. :) I hope you all are doing well, and I hope that this chapter was suitable! <3


	11. Charmed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Romance does many wondrous things...like charming you.

Class had ended early due in part to a quidditch match the same day. Minseok walks with Jongdae close on his tail and Kyungsoo not too far behind. The match for this game was Ravenclaw against Hufflepuff, and Minseok uncharacteristically brags about how it would be an easy win. Kyungsoo, very obviously, tuned him out while Jongdae, being the good listener that he is, kept all of his attention on Minseok as the eldest bragged. He only stops when Kyungsoo hits him on the arm, hard.

“Alright, alright,” Minseok huffs with a laugh. “I’ll reduce my showing off to just my friends.”

“You showing off will be the reason that your team loses,” Kyungsoo says rather pointedly.

“Are you envious of the fact that I can actually play quidditch?”

“I can care less about the sport and your game. All I care about is you surviving to make it to our N.E.W.T. exams.”

Minseok waves him off. “Oh, you worry too much, Soo!”

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes and motions for Jongdae to accompany him to their seats. Jongdae nods, but looks at Minseok for a moment.

“Please don’t actually show off that much, Min,” he says with a gentle laugh.

The chaser’s heart lights up and he gives him a warm smile. And a wink. “If I do, it’ll be for you.”

Jongdae hits him. “Just get back to your quaffleling or whatever!”

Minseok laughs and watches as Jongdae and Kyungsoo take off for their seats. He sighs a happy little sigh before he joins his team in the Ravenclaw tent.

* * *

Jongin bites nervously at his lower lip. No matter how much he’s practiced (and no matter how much encouragement he got from his friends), he’s still sure he’ll make an absolute fool of himself in front of the entire school in the quidditch pitch. Oh this was a bad idea--why did he decide to try out? And why did he have to make it? Why was he a seeker, arguably the most important position on the quidditch team? Why oh why oh why?!

Chanyeol laughs and pats his shoulder while Baekhyun wraps him in a warm hug. “Don’t worry too much, Jonginnie! We’ll be right beside you!”

“And we’ll keep the bludgers aimed at the other team!” Baekhyun adds with a cute laugh. “They’ll be so distracted that their own seeker will have no idea what hit him! Literally!”

The two erupt into huge fits of laughter that serve to ease the tension in Jongin’s shoulders. He ends up joining in with them, though he’s sure that his laughter originates more from how nervous he is rather than how humorous Baekhyun and Chanyeol’s joke was.

The Hufflepuff captain calls for his team, gives a rousing speech that both fuels the flame in Jongin’s heart and the uneasy bubble in his stomach, and then leads the team onto the pitch. Across the way is the Ravenclaw quidditch team led by who Jongin recognizes as one of Kyungsoo’s friends (and it isn’t the one he knows named ‘Dae’). He looks...intimidating...underneath his rather charming and adorable physique, giving a very challenging smile to the Hufflepuff captain across from him. Around them, the stadium cheers loudly as both teams gather in the center of the stadium.

Jongin readies himself, standing evenly with the Ravenclaw seeker across from him. They exchange rather warm and inviting smiles; nothing like the one his team captain and the Ravenclaw captain gave each other. They both stare at the referee as she walks onto the pitch.

She analyzes both teams before nodding. She walks to the closed quidditch trunk in the center of the pitch. A key is summoned and once it twists the lock, the lid flies open. Two bludgers fly straight into the air, followed by the golden snitch. Then she tosses the ball into the air and blows the whistle.

The game starts. The team members quickly kick off from the ground, and not a second later, they are all in the air.

Jongin watches as the Ravenclaw seeker takes off, then he follows his movements, taking off to the other end of the stadium. The Ravenclaw captain shoots for the quaffle and grabs it before the Hufflepuff chaser could. The game announcer announces various goings on about the team members’ actions. He hears how Ravenclaw scored a point, then hears how Hufflepuff scored a point. It goes back and forth after a while.

He narrowly dodges a bludger that was flying straight for his head. Then he hears Baekhyun shout an apology to him before he directs said flying ball straight towards the Ravenclaw captain (who dodges it with ease by extraordinarily rolling out of the way). The Ravenclaw beater hits another bludger straight towards Baekhyun, but the object is easily battered away by a rather ferocious looking Chanyeol. Jongin laughs when he hears them cooing and blowing kisses to each other before their team captain orders them to focus.

Then Jongin hears it--the soft buzz and whistle of the golden snitch as it flies past him. His eyes look around before he sees it fly in front of him. It hovers for a moment, teasing him, provoking him, until he chases after it. Behind him, the Ravenclaw seeker is quick on his tail. He leans down and speeds up, following the snitch as it very wildly flies through the middle of the stadium.

Oh Merlin, his heart was racing.

Jongin ducks when a bludger that was hit by Chanyeol shoots past him, just above his head. He hears an apology being shouted as he passes. Then he uses an arm to shield his face as he just narrowly dodges a chaser’s feet. He looks up and utters a quick apology as he races past.

The snitch shows no means of stopping it’s wild antics and just as soon as he hoped it would simply circle around the perimeter of the pitch, it turns ninety degrees and goes right back through the center of the pitch.

Where all of the other players were.

With a heavy sigh, he sharply tugs the handle of his broom up so that he flies upside down. He spins himself so that he doesn’t get disoriented, hearing as the quidditch announcer covers his daring maneuver. The crowd cheers, prompting Jongin to smile.

That smile is quickly wiped from his face when he watches the snitch fly straight through the gap of the Ravenclaw captain’s arm.

And Jongin’s going way too fast to pivot himself out of the way.

He and the captain bump each other, and he hears the Ravenclaw captain drop a profanity as the quaffle drops from his hand straight into a Hufflepuff chaser’s. Jongin quickly turns back once the opposing captain fixes himself on his broom. A whole bundle of apologies fall from his lips that eventually end with the Ravenclaw captain waving him off with a half-amused, half-irritated smile. He apologizes again before turning his attention back to the snitch he was following.

The Ravenclaw seeker is quick on his tail and just barely avoids a collision with one of their own chasers (that Jongin realizes isn’t the captain). He leans forward, taking advantage of the fact that the opposing seeker still needs to recover. The golden snitch is just within his grasp.

Jongin extends his arm, licks his lips, and leans forward. The moment his fingers brush the top of the encrusted ball, he locks his grip and closes his hand around the flying ball. The small object flutters helplessly in his grasp for a moment before its wings close. Jongin shoots his arm into the air with a smile and an overly gleeful laugh.

The crowd cheers loudly. The announcer shouts, “And Hufflepuff’s caught the snitch!” He hears Baekhyun and Chanyeol whooping across the stadium. He eases himself to the floor of the pitch and climbs off his broom. The minute he’s touched down and eased himself, he is swarmed by his entire team. Baekhyun and Chanyeol have him trapped in a giddy hug as their team cheers loudly around them.

After their celebration, the two teams retreat into their proper tents. Jongin is still facing the onslaught of congratulations and cheers as he leaves the changing room with Baekhyun and Chanyeol in tow. His eyes travel to three familiar Ravenclaws, one of which walks up to him with a beautiful smile on his face.

“Jongin! Congratulations!” Kyungsoo exclaims cheerily.

“Thank you, Kyungsoo,” he manages once his sudden frozen awe begins to melt. He laughs shyly. “I’m sorry about your friend. I didn’t mean to--”

Kyungsoo shakes his head, a beautiful laugh shaking his small frame. Jongin has to really resist the urge to hug him. “Don’t worry about that. That was the best maneuver I’ve seen in all the quidditch games he’s dragged me to.”

Jongin laughs with him. Behind him, he could hear Baekhyun and Chanyeol laughing. They were probably going on about how proud they were that he and Kyungsoo were talking. “Well, I’m happy that I could make you happy.”

Kyungsoo gives him a cute, gummy smile. Jongin tries not to faint when he stares between his cute doe eyes that have turned into crescents and his perfect white teeth. “And I want to say thank you for that. I’ll see you around, Jongin!”

He waves as the short male leaves. Then he sighs happily before shouting back, “I’ll see you later!” He turns to Baekhyun and Chanyeol, who are staring at him happily.

“He talked to me!” Jongin cheers as the three of them piled into a hug. Two more arms wrap around them and it takes a moment before he registers who it is. He spins and grabs both Zitao and Sehun’s shoulders. “Guys! He talked to me!”

The five of them end up walking back up to the castle with cheers, taunts, and laughs riding through their system. It was as if they were high. And Jongin might happily declare that he was definitely high on a feeling that was so incredibly irresistible.

Jongdae chases frantically after a furious Minseok who was growing more and more irritated by Kyungsoo’s teasing. The Ravenclaw prefect eventually apologizes, so Minseok just sits there with a sour look on his face. Jongdae laughs and cups the quidditch player’s face. Kyungsoo had long since left them to head for dinner since he had to perform his rounds rather early (or so he said). So his two best friends are left to their own devices again.

Not that he minds it.

He laughs when Minseok’s expression makes no motion to change. “Aww, Min! He didn’t mean it! He was just chasing the snitch.”

“But he could have maneuvered out of the way long before he collided with me,” the older huffs. “Ref should have called for a foul, but she was too busy keeping tabs on our own seeker since he actually got tangled with our chaser.”

Jongdae sighs. He didn’t really know the intricate workings of quidditch as well as Minseok does. Even if he had attended the Quidditch World Cup with him some years ago and even if he had attended Hogwarts for five years now, the rules were still too complicated for him to follow. He lets his hands slide from Minseok’s face to rest at his sides.

“All that training, and we still can’t tell what’s up from down.”

He isn’t exactly sure what to say to that. So he sits there with Minseok on the stone bench in the Entrance Courtyard, silent. He just continues to keep his eye contact with the eldest levelled.

“Sorry, Dae. I shouldn’t take it out on you.”

He hushes Minseok, arms wrapping gingerly around him as he cuddles into his friend’s neck. “I’m here if you want to talk about quidditch. Or anything in general. Alright?”

Minseok chuckles and turns himself to return the hug. They stay that way for a while, breathing easily as they get lost in each other’s embrace. Jongdae smelled like a million fruity flowers covered in morning dew. Wait.

Jongdae, feeling how Minseok stills, pulls away. Did he say something? Do something? “Are you alright, Min?”

He smiled sheepishly. “Yeah,” he says simply. “Never better.”

Then Jongdae laughs. And Minseok feels like the bubble in his stomach is going to explode. His heart could literally and likely sprouted wings and flew him straight to cloud nine. He feels elated just hearing that beautiful laugh. Then when Jongdae grabs his hand, he feels like he’s just gone higher into this odd heaven of euphoria.

“Come on, Min--let’s get dinner. Then we can go to the dormitories and study, or talk, or do something,” Jongdae says. His smile has not wavered. “Besides, I’m cold!”

Minseok just nods. His starstruck expression didn’t falter, even when he walked into the Great Hall.

* * *

Perhaps it was unlike Sehun to take a walk this late at night without his friends, but he had to honestly admit that he didn’t mind it. He needed some time to think, and a walk with music was the best way to clear his mind. He had his black and white headphones on over his ears, and they were connected to the small white music player tucked in the pocket of his sweater.

He thought about Luhan, the veela he dueled against in the dueling club some time ago. Said veela looked absolutely outraged by the fact that he had lost (Sehun couldn’t blame him, though). From that point on, and though he really shouldn’t feel this way, he felt immensely guilty for not giving Luhan a chance to get back to his feet. It was either he lost purposefully and got humiliated by his friends (he could definitely hear Zitao say something), or he won and stripped the Slytherin of his title (which he did). Both would have felt awful; he wished he lost because he could actually stand being humiliated by his friends (they were his friends after all--and they almost always meant nothing by it).

Sehun sighs and rounds a corner. His intention was to go to the quad was not without incident. He rams chest-to-head-first into someone that is shorter than him. Some profanities drop from him, and as Sehun massages where he and this person impact, he audibly gasps when he sees who it is he had rammed into.

“Luhan, hi,” he greets almost ecstatically.

Luhan stares at him. He opens his mouth to speak, but quickly closes it. He doesn’t say anything, so Sehun takes the time to speak.

“I want to apologize for...um...dueling you?”

Luhan furrows his brows, lips pursing. He opens his mouth to speak, but closes it again. Sehun decides to continue.

“And I wanted to talk about the butterbeer thing. I know…I said that you owe me a butterbeer, but if that’s something that doesn’t interest you, then—”

He watches as Luhan rather viciously waves his hands back and forth as though to reject what Sehun was going to say. Then he points at his mouth and makes the motion that indicates he can’t “do something.” It didn’t take the Gryffindor very long to understand what happened. Everytime Luhan opened his mouth, he got a chance to see that the shorter boy’s tongue was affixed to the roof of his mouth. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at Luhan’s face, uttering the counter charm  _ Langsolvo _ . Luhan very audibly gasps and moves his tongue about as though he was trying to stretch it. Honestly, Sehun had to admit that the motion was rather...mesmerizing. Was this his veela charm working its magic?

“By Merlin,” Luhan coughs. “Thank you, Sehun.”

“Yeah,” he says simply. He clears his throat. Was it getting hot on this cool evening? Surely, autumn, winter, and spring had already passed...that was why it was hot. Or someone cast a warming charm on him. Something or another because surely, it wasn’t him blushing at the fact that the veela actually said his name. Then he actually stares at the Slytherin, a frown drawing his already serious-looking face to be legitimately serious. “How long did you have your tongue stuck like that?”

“Maybe...two weeks?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the long hiatus since I updated this fic! Lots of stuff happening since this crazy situation took over. But I hope this chapter makes up for the long wait, and if not, then crucify me. I kinda deserve it hahaha.
> 
> Also! I spent perhaps too much time trying to research a countercharm to the jinx Langlock (that causes one's tongue to affix itself to the roof of their mouth) only to find out that one isn't actually listed! Which is beyond insane to me. So I just made it up (LANGSOLVO!; Lang=tongue in Latin, Solvo=free in Latin). Not at all accurate, but y'know. Creative liberties and such.
> 
> I do hope that you all are doing well, though! And all of the kudos and comments are really so lovely! Super encouraging as well! Thank you endlessly for such love! It really does mean so much to me, and I wish there was a way for me to express how much it warms my heart. ;^; <3
> 
> Take care, deers! Stay healthy and warm (or cool if you don't like the heat)! :3c  
~Argent


	12. Undesirable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One problem after another starts to leave an undesirable mess within a Gryffindor's wake. Coupled with unwanted thoughts, and it begins to become almost too much to bear. But he isn't alone...not by a long shot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Slight angst, slight name calling.
> 
> (Tried to avoid using any derogatory terms; there is nothing really upsetting and crass, but just thought I'd let you know in case it does seem upsetting.)
> 
> Hope you enjoy! <3

Yixing stares at the blue liquid in his cauldron. The liquid that refused to change colors no matter how much he tried to heat it. He looks between his potions book and the cauldron again, frowning when nothing happens as he works to change the potion. Or tries to. The liquid was irrefutably stubborn, as if doing such a simple task was beyond it. Maybe if he had actually slept instead of working on a Wiggenweld Potion, then maybe he could actually work on the required assignment that taunts him. He stares with sleepy eyes at the potion and his book again. What was he doing wrong?

A hand is placed on his shoulder. He looks over and smiles at Junmyeon. The boy was ridiculously handsome in Yixing’s eyes. He was a saint in more personable aspects; he always stopped to help someone in need, regardless of the fact they were rude or regardless of the fact that they teased him about being a pushover. “Yixing,” he says softly as his eyes move between the blue liquid and the sleepy man, “would you like some assistance?”

“I will gladly take any and all assistance at this point,” he replies with a laugh. “I can’t get the potion to change color, no matter how long I heat it.”

Junmyeon gets up from his seat and walks over. He presses into Yixing’s side as he looks at the Advanced Potions book. He does not notice the other boy’s faint blush. “Did you turn the heater on?”

Yixing stares at him with a blank expression. Then he glances at the cauldron and the hot plate, flipping the switch until a small candle heats the bottom of the cauldron. The liquid inside begins to change from blue to yellow. He smiles and wraps his arms around the prefect’s arms. “Junmyeon, you’re a genius!”

The whole class glances at them, including the professor. Junmyeon just laughs and mutually returns the gesture. His arms wrap comfortably around what he could access of the taller man’s waist. “I really am not, Yixing.”

“I wouldn’t have figured that out on my own, though,” he insists as he pulls away. “I’ve been staring at the damn thing for what feels like hours.”

“I think you were close to finding out what went wrong.”

“Hardly, Junmyeon! I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“Mister Kim, Mister Zhang, is there something you would like to announce to the class?” The professor asks as he walks towards their station.

Upon finally being conscious of their proximity to one another, both Yixing and Junmyeon separate. Still, the prefect does not notice the red upon the Gryffindor’s cheeks that darkens to nearly match the color of his tie. Junmyeon simply looks at the professor with a kind smile on his face, as Yixing stands there befuddled.

“No, sir,” he answers curtly. He spins to face his potion and after registering what happened, Yixing follows suit. The class bursts into a fit of unified sniggers, but one loud shush from the potions professor silences them.

Yixing stares at his potion and continues onto the next step. While adding his porcupine quills, he tries not to stare at the Hufflepuff seated next to his right. There’s this look of pure concentration on his face; his brows are furrowed, lines slightly creasing his forehead. His lips are pulled into a slight pout as he stares at the potion in front of him. The potion that was turning brown. Unlike Yixing’s, whose potion had only just turned blue. It nears green when he notices he added one too many. Thank Merlin the professor is at another station, or else he would have lectured Yixing by now.

Trying to salvage his mistake, he heats the potion until it turns purple. Then he proceeds to add seven castor beans. He picks up a handful of the small ingredient, counts them out, then drops them into the potion. Then he allows the potion to simmer until it turns brown. Finally, he’s caught up to Junmyeon. But when he looks over, Junmyeon is already on the last step, and as he adds the last piece of wormwood, the young man smiles. That almost causes Yixing to forget what he was doing, and as he stares at his potion, he notes that the liquid is a bright pink. Thank Merlin he added just the right amount of shrivelfig. He allows the potion to simmer, making sure to check when it would be orange.

“You’re doing well, Yixing,” Junmyeon blurts rather out of the blue. His smile remains constant as his eyes stare into the other’s deep brown ones. “Just need to add wormwood, right?”

“Yeah,” he says casually. He forces himself to look away from those beautiful light brown eyes, met head on with an orange that he does not appreciate as much. He adds a few pieces of wormwood until the potion turns yellow. Though the yellow isn’t as bright as Junmyeon’s potion--probably a hiccup from his earlier mistakes. He was fortunate enough not to be assaulted by volatiles of smoke from said mistakes. It would have been awkward to explain to his roommates (particularly Sehun) about why he smelled so...pepperminty.

As soon as they have finished, the potions professor walks over to inspect their concoctions. He gives a satisfactory comment about Junmyeon’s potion, but when he gets to Yixing’s potion, he gives a slightly less than happy remark. But he says nothing more and moves on. Yixing just shrugs--it wasn’t his fault that his potion wasn’t so bad.

He could blame Junmyeon.

Of course, he had absolutely no rhyme or logical reason to do so. But mentally, he had enough reasons to blame him. Junmyeon is too handsome, too kind. He is really way too cute for someone like Yixing. And far too sweet to be helping Slytherins who insult him about being too friendly to muggleborns.

The world didn’t deserve Junmyeon. People didn’t deserve Junmyeon.

Yixing didn’t deserve Junmyeon.

“Yixing,” Junmyeon repeats again, shaking him ever so slightly this time. His growing concern fades when the Chinese boy looks at him confused as ever. It was endearing, really, how someone so charming could also look so… “Is everything alright?”

The boy just smiles. And Junmyeon finally has time to note how red his cheeks were. The blush suits him, he thinks. “Yeah, fine.”

The answer wasn’t what he was looking for, but it was enough to satisfy him. He could always inquire more about what troubled his Gryffindor friend later. For now, he only had one thing in mind. “Would you like to get lunch after class together?”

Before the other could utter a word, their potions professor dismisses them (after telling them about their homework). The two make their way to the hall just near the viaduct, and that is when Junmyeon turns towards Yixing. He was hoping, and admittedly praying, for a positive answer. But not one second later, an owl flies through the building when the door to the viaduct opens. It drops a letter in Yixing’s hands, sitting comfortably on his shoulder. Junmyeon simply stands there, patiently waiting for an answer as Yixing hurriedly opens the letter. As if anticipation wasn’t killing him already, one simple shake of the other’s head causes Junmyeon’s heart to drop into the pit of his stomach. It was enough to nearly wipe the patient, beaming smile from his lips. He just forces it back up when he noticed how apologetic Yixing looked. “Don’t worry about it, Yixing. I’m sure you’re busy. We can always get lunch some other time.”

“Yeah,” Yixing sighs.

The accompanying silence is unbearable, and Junmyeon wants to do something-- _ anything _ \--to comfort his friend, who looks beyond hurt at that point. Before he could think to do anything, he hears two words break the silence between them just as they part ways. It causes him to spin on his toes, but by the time he could convince himself to actually move, Yixing is already closing the door to the long gallery. Instead, he turns himself back around and crosses the long pathway lined with torch sconces. The two words dance tauntingly in his head.

_ “‘I’m sorry,’”  _ he repeats. His face scrunches into a frown. “Yixing, why are you sorry?”

* * *

When Junmyeon crossed the viaduct, he didn’t know what would be waiting for him. It certainly wasn’t a faceful of Chanyeol’s chest and an earful of Baekhyun’s voice, that was for sure. Though those two being themselves, it was really difficult to get angry at them for...well, being them. They were probably the only people that Junmyeon knew personally who were genuinely happy in all of Hogwarts. Yeah, there were certainly the other students, but those two always stuck out.

They were the ones the school knew as the happy virus and the playful puppy. The ones who everyone knew would constantly kiss up to each other and toy with each other’s feelings just to spite the other. They were the ones around the school who everyone categorized as “That Couple” or some other more insulting or endearing term. They were the ones who everyone found themselves being comforted by, because they were essentially like parents that hit it off immediately. They were the ones who everyone went to for relationship advice, because they were the ones who made it work, regardless of whether there were hiccups or faults. They were the “Thing” that everyone wanted.

And they were the reason why Junmyeon was so incessantly, secretly pissed.

Because he didn’t have what they had. He wasn’t what they were. He couldn’t find someone who would share with him the same amount of passion as Chanyeol and Baekhyun share with each other.

Only he did find someone. But they probably didn’t return the same mutual feeling that he had for them.

That’s why he’s angrily scarfing down a cornish pasty while the two he was fussing over earlier were happily chatting amongst themselves. Of course, being the observant, lovey-dovey couple that they were, they were quick to notice how erratic his behavior was. Or at least, it was erratic given how calm he usually was.

“Junmyeon oh Junmyeon,” Baekhyun sings, “why dost thou look so troubled?”

With a content sigh, he places down the remains of his pasty on the plate. After cleaning his mouth rather delicately with his napkin (rather than furiously brushing it across his face), he stares them in the eye. “I’ve just had a really bad day is all.”

Chanyeol returns his stare. Though with maybe more intensity than Junmyeon would have liked. “You looked really upset after we ran into you in the Entrance Courtyard. Literally.”

He flashes a half-hearted smile. The term ‘upset’ was putting it lightly. “It’s just a silly thought. Forget I said anything.”

Baekhyun shakes his head and waves his pointer finger back and forth like a pendulum flipped upside down. “No no no, Jun! Your eomma and appa are here, okay? Why don’t you tell us what’s wrong?”

_ Oh Merlin, _ Junmyeon thinks. “Let’s just say I asked someone to lunch and they said no.”

Chanyeol holds his chin as though he were pondering. Meanwhile Baekhyun purses his lips and mutters a very audible  _ “Kkaebsong _ .” Then both, to Junmyeon’s surprise, blurt out, “Is it Yixing?”

The Hufflepuff prefect gapes. And splutters. And gapes again. Finally, he closes his mouth when he has nothing to retort.

He regrets not saying anything; as though they had won a quidditch match, the two young Hufflepuffs erupt into fits of laughter and cheer while pointing at the humiliated Hufflepuff that has slowly placed his head onto the table in shame. There might have been a couple hundred people looking over at them, but that didn’t seem to stop them. It’s only when Junmyeon threatens them with detention and deducting house points that they calm down. Of course, they joke about using detention to spend some quality time with each other (something that greatly causes Junmyeon’s cheeks to flush twice as red as they already were). Then they begin talking about what he could or should do to confess his love. Junmyeon holds up his hands to hush them both.

“I can’t say anything to him. Not yet anyway.”

“Junmyeon, you should say something. At least tell him that he makes you happy!”

“It isn’t that easy.”

“But Chanyeol--”

“You two are different.” He watches as they only stare at him. He mentally slaps himself when he watches their faces distort into a look of pain. His eyes close as he takes a deep breath. Then he reopens his eyes and stares at them. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it so negatively. It’s just...I can’t tell him when I don’t know if he feels the same way.”

“Take your own advice, Jun,” Chanyeol interjects. “You always tell us to voice how we feel. Why don’t you do the same? Tell him. I’m sure that it’ll work out.”

Beside him, Baekhyun nods vigorously. Junmyeon just stares at them before he looks back at his mostly eaten cornish pasty. And he thinks; saying absolutely anything about how he feels sounded like a death wish. Especially when it relates to this fickle thing called love. But Chanyeol’s right--he really should take his own advice and say how he feels. That’s something he almost always never does--voicing his opinion and expressing his thoughts. And it’s something that he knows Yixing rarely ever does, if at all. Maybe they both just need to say something?

A very loud clang echoes loudly in the Great Hall, then. Both Chanyeol and Baekhyun turn their heads to gaze at the source of the noise while Junmyeon looks up. He can’t make out who it is specifically, but all he knows is that a Gryffindor and a Slytherin were involved. Maybe even two Gryffindors. He stands and walks over, hand pressed against the grip of his wand in case he needed to use it. When he approaches the gathering crowd and slips through, he stares with bewilderment at the two bodies pinned on the floor. They weren’t nameless students, people he didn’t know.

It was Yixing and Luhan and Johnny.

* * *

Yixing stares between Luhan and Junmyeon. His fellow Gryffindor Johnny had long since been excused, more by Yixing than by Junmyeon himself. It wasn’t necessarily a fight that the three of them were engaged in; it was more of a mutual...punching contest. Well, a mutual talk up until Luhan had threatened him to hex him; Johnny had interrupted to keep any fight from actually breaking out and Yixing didn’t think it would escalate from there. He could never tell Junmyeon, but up until the fight, Luhan had offered to walk him through his endlessly running train of thoughts.

There was too much on his plate. Problems that he couldn’t say to just anyone. No matter how much Sehun and Johnny had offered to help him, Yixing didn’t think he could put that much pressure onto them. These were his problems, not theirs. It would have stayed that way too if Luhan hadn’t decided to check in. Luhan had sat there, listened, chiming in with small ounces of advice when Yixing reached a blockade. He didn’t feel like he was lifted from a flooding pool of trouble, but he did feel like he at least had enough air to keep himself going.

There’s this situation, though, that lay essentially unknown to everyone in the school. Yixing knew it all too well, being one of the two to see it up close. It wasn’t a perfect system—it never was—but it was something. Luhan instigated a fight.

A mutual fight.

It was odd and incredibly difficult to explain, but it was mutual. Yixing—and consequently Luhan—just never anticipated that Johnny would jump in to defend his fellow Gryffindor. The two could  _ try _ to explain what their system involved (and they did), and it must have been some miracle that Johnny understood what they were trying to do…In the end, it was a tiresome situation. 

And one that Yixing felt would be near impossible to explain to Junmyeon.

“Luhan, Yixing, if you could just explain who threatened who first, I won’t have to issue both of you detention,” Junmyeon sighs. He rubbed his temples, then rested his hands on his hips. “I don’t want to have to punish both of you—or Seo for that matter—but I will if I have to.”

“That sounds erotic,” Luhan retorts with a smirk.

Junmyeon stares at him with wide, bashful eyes and slightly reddened cheeks. “Xiao, don’t make me...I  _ will  _ give you detention.”

“So you’ll discriminate against the veela and not your mudblood friend?”

Yixing winces slightly, though he needed to remind himself that what Luhan was saying was just words. There was no threat behind them, no matter how much the Slytherin would deny it. Even if everybody else didn’t know that.

Junmyeon shakes his head. “I don’t care about blood status, species, or anything of the sort, Xiao. That matters very little to me, if at all. But both of you are students, and students are subject to detention and the deduction of house points. I won’t give one student detention and not the other just because of their blood status or species.”

“How humble of you,” Luhan drawls. “Look, if there’s nothing for us to do, can I go? I have places I need to be.”

Junmyeon feels like he might just burst then and there, no matter how calm he may appear. Yixing takes a deep breath. “Junmyeon, it was me. I was the one who…called him…a veela...ah, prostitute?”

It didn’t take a detective for Junmyeon to know that Yixing was lying. He doesn’t know  _ why _ he would lie either. Nevertheless, and with a heavy heart, he says, “Gryffindor will lose five house points. I’ll withhold giving you both detention, but please, do not push it anymore. I’m being nice right now.”

Yixing watches with a slight bitterness in his mouth as Junmyeon walks away from them with disappointment clearly etched upon his face. He shuffles a bit when Luhan just stares between the man who was leaving and Yixing. He smiles apologetically. “I’m really sorry, Lu. You know I don’t mean anything that I said.”

Luhan throws him a small smile. “I know, Yixing. I know you wouldn’t say anything like that.”

Yixing pats his shoulder. “Thank you for helping me.”

“No problem,” Luhan replies. He gnaws on his lower lip. “Just...please talk to Oh for me? Maybe it’s stupid, but...I just need to know...if something is true, you know?”

“Of course. I’ll let you know what he says within two days’ time.”

“Thanks, Yixing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! It has been awhile and I want to apologize for that. My finals have since ended in the middle of May (they were hectic, I tell you), and I took some time to myself to unwind from them. I am back!
> 
> I sincerely hope that this chapter was not too confusing to read, since I wrote and rewrote it a couple of times when I wanted to adjust some narratives. While I am more satisfied with it now than before, I do realize that it might read as inconsistent, and I want to help clarify anything for the rest of the fic. If anything needs some clarification, please feel free to drop thoughts and questions and such in the comments! I will be more than happy to answer them. :)
> 
> I hope that you are all doing well and are all staying healthy. Did you hear Baekhyunnie's new song "Candy"? It left me feeling so warm and comfortable! <3
> 
> Love xoxo  
-Argent


	13. Confessions By The Lake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the dead of night, when most of Hogwarts is asleep, a brave Hufflepuff dares to say a hint of the truth to his crush, the passive prefect of Ravenclaw House.
> 
> [Primary Kaisoo, Implied Hunhan]

Jongin stands and stares out at the black abyss before him. The night isn’t as cold as when he and his friends had decided to sneak out (by Chanyeol’s request). In fact, it was a very pleasant night to be out--it wasn’t too hot nor too cold. He could comfortably stand outside in his cream colored cardigan, plain white tee, and jeans without feeling like he’d overheat or freeze. There should really be more nights like this, with comfortable weather, a beautiful and clear sky. He closes his eyes to bask in the grace of it all.

“What are you doing out here?”

Of course the moment wouldn’t last long. But he doesn’t get aggressive or irritated because Jongin knows whose voice that is. He’s trained himself to recognize it (how, he or his friends are actually unsure). It was deep, warm, velvety. It was music to Jongin’s ears. Slowly, he opens his eyes, smiling as he turns around. “I wanted to take a walk,” he answers.

“This late?”

“I know I shouldn’t be out after ten, but the lake is so lovely at night! And at dusk. It’s just nice to spend time here,” Jongin continued. Now he can understand why Chanyeol wanted to have his date with Baekhyun here. For them, it was beautiful, special, the place where it all began. Unfortunately, Jongin didn’t have something like that yet, but he could happily imagine.

Kyungsoo watches him carefully. After several minutes pass, he decides to extinguish the light at the tip of his wand with a simple  _ Nox _ . He walks over to the Hufflepuff until he stands (almost) evenly with him. He takes his time to look at the Black Lake, trying vainly to see what Jongin must have been seeing. There’s nothing beautiful about it, though--it was just a massive puddle that housed a million magical creatures beneath the depths of the surface. Whatever the younger boy saw in it was not something that he could see, and it frustrated him to no end. He turns his attention from the abysmal lake and stares instead at Jongin.

Jongin, at the same time, glances over and almost flinches. Kyungsoo was glaring at him. Why he was glaring, he wasn’t sure. All he knew was that he was innocent (enough), as he didn’t do anything that should have angered the prefect. Except maybe breaking a few rules because he was out past curfew. “Kyungsoo,” he starts evenly, “did I do something wrong?”

The Ravenclaw’s eyes widen and he quickly looks away. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to,” he utters. It was quiet, almost like a whisper. He fishes into the pocket of his robes to pull out his thick-rimmed glasses, staring at them with discontent before he puts them on.

Jongin watches him as he slips his glasses on. If he thought Kyungsoo looked attractive before, he was practically downright enchanting now. It took a great deal for Jongin not to smother the short male in a very warm bear hug. Merlin, it took a greater amount of effort just to get himself to stand still and not do something stupid like run his hands through the other male’s short black hair. Oh, he was suffering. When Kyungsoo stares at him again, this time with glasses on, he remembers where he is. He awkwardly waves his hands, as though he was trying to shoo a flying insect away while trying to reassure Kyungsoo that he was off the hook. Then Jongin realizes how stupid he must have looked and coughs into a balled fist before stuffing it into the pocket of his denims.

Kyungsoo laughs. Jongin smiles. It was like heaven.

And of course, Jongin has to ruin the moment when he decides to blurt out something stupid. “You look nice with glasses, Kyungsoo. You should wear them more.”

What other reaction did he expect? For the prefect to  _ not  _ stare at him with big doe eyes and a shocked expression? He apologizes. Kyungsoo waves it off with a shy smile. Oh Merlin was Jongin going to faint from that smile.

Many long minutes pass as they watch the gentle ripples glide across the surface of the lake. While Jongin tries not to awkwardly stare at Kyungsoo; it was quite the difficult task, really. 

“Why the lake, Jongin?”

“Hm?”

“The lake,” Kyungsoo repeats. “Why did you choose to go to the lake? There’s plenty of more scenic views around the grounds. But why here? At this...at the lake?”

Telling the truth seemed like a horrible idea. But lying isn’t in Jongin’s nature. What could he say? That he was a child and liked to believe what he overheard his best friend Chanyeol telling his other best friend Zitao? Well, it wasn’t like he could say anything else. He can’t lie to anyone; his friends, his family...Kyungsoo. Sod it, he exclaimed mentally. He’ll tell the truth, whether it’ll cause the other male to laugh at him or not. “One of my friends told another one of my friends something here. I overheard it, and came here to think about it.”

Kyungsoo raises a brow. “What was this something?”

Oh Merlin, this would sound stupid. He could hear the words Chanyeol had told Zitao floating around in his head.  _ “One day, when you and your Slytherin prefect get together, you’ll definitely find that special place,”  _ he had said. “It was along the lines of, ‘when you and your special someone get together, you’ll find that special place that you’ll always remember as the place where you two first met.’ Or something like that.”

“That’s quite a mouthful to remember.”

“He and his boyfriend say the phrase a lot. I guess the more you hear it, the more it gets ingrained in your head.”

Kyungsoo tilts his head slightly. The action is rather cute in Jongin’s eyes, almost like what his three poodle puppies would do if they didn’t understand a command. “Do you think you’ll meet your special someone?”

He nods wildly. “Yeah, I think so. Everyone has someone that is meant for them.”

Kyungsoo looks away from him and stares at the tips of his sneakers. “Do you really believe that?”

Perhaps it was a childlike optimism, but he really did believe that. Why Kyungsoo didn’t believe that was beyond him. Who knows? Maybe he had this tragic backstory where he didn’t get anything as a gift during Valentine’s Day? Jongin found that hard to believe, considering how Kyungsoo looked like an angel sent from heaven. Hell, he probably  _ is  _ an angel sent from heaven that would tell Jongin at anytime now that he wouldn’t be invited. What a sad reality that would be. “I do,” he answers confidently. And perhaps a little too boldly. When he notices how Kyungsoo had shied away from him, he loosens his fierce stature. “Do you think that you will meet your special someone, Kyungsoo?”

He chuckles. “I don’t know. I hope I do.”

“I think you will meet them. You deserve to be with someone who will make you happy.”

Kyungsoo laughs, shaking his head. His eyes are still looking anywhere but at Jongin’s; he doesn’t notice the way Jongin looks at him. A look full of admiration, full of adoration. Like he is the only thing that is important in his life.

The moment feels too quick. Everything was wrapping up too quickly for Jongin’s taste. He wanted it to stay like this for another hour. Maybe for another night. He felt the happiest that he’s ever felt being next to the man he’s always had his heart dead set on. He didn’t want it to end. So when he’s being dragged by Kyungsoo back up to the castle by the hand, the tip of the prefect’s wand illuminating the path before them, he gets sad when he stands at the base of the stairs. He gets sad when Kyungsoo’s hand slips out of his.

“Are you going to take my points away?” Jongin asks, the beginning of a pout worming its way onto his lower lip.

Kyungsoo shakes his head. “No. I wouldn’t do that to you. I’m not the Slytherin prefect that keeps catching you and your friends.” He flashes an innocent smile. Jongin stares at the heart-shaped lips. “Goodnight, Jongin.”

Out of the blue, Jongin grabs his hand. “Kyungsoo...ah…” Where would he go from here? He just smiles, not knowing what he wanted to ask. It was probably because Kyungsoo was looking at him with large, curious eyes. “Goodnight. Sleep well, alright?”

Another smile affixes itself on Kyungsoo’s lips. “I will. Thank you. Take care, Jongin.”

* * *

Sehun tosses a gobstone up in the air, catching it easily with one hand while the other is busy flicking his wand at a stack of self-shuffling cards. He stares at his very tired roommate as he enters the room, short black hair a slightly mused mess, patches of blooming purple spots quite noticeable against slightly pale skin. This appearance causes Sehun to frown, his already serious-looking face growing impossibly more...well, serious. He sits up, allows the gobstone enclosed behind his fingers to roll onto the floor, and crosses his legs as he stares at the Chinese boy that settles in the bed beside Sehun’s own.

“Yixing,” he starts, eyeing the boy thoroughly once more. “What happened?”

Yixing grimaces when he realizes that Sehun noticed him. Yes, he was a mess, and he wants to say that all of this was done with good intention. But how to explain something like that was complicated. Beyond complicated. He notices the guilty look on Johnny’s face at the other end of the room. He didn’t need someone else to be concerned for him...nor did he want Sehun to send a dirty glare to his one of his other closest friends. So instead, he shrugs and sets his messenger bag down at the foot of his bed. “Just a slight...unfortunate fall. Don’t trouble yourself over it, Sehun.”

Sehun audibly scoffs. Purple spots like that don’t happen because of a fall. At least, if they did happen like that, he isn’t quite sure how. All of the boys he’s seen fall face first onto the floor usually ended up with a crooked nose and bruised lips. Maybe if they’re unlucky, a bruise to the forehead or a black eye. Never has he ever seen someone’s face end up with blooms of purple that are so incredibly precise along their jawline, cheekbone, and forehead. No, that couldn’t have been a fall. In his experience, he’s only ever seen those marks left by clear-cut punches. He folds his arms across his chest, like a child would when they hear something that they don’t want to hear. “Yixing,” he puffs warningly.

“Alright,” the older sighs resolutely. “No point in lying to you when you can see right through it. I got in a...slight fight.”

Yixing notices the way Johnny squirmed from slight discomfort when Sehun shoots out of the four-poster bed.

“When? Where? With who?”

“Easy. It was...mutual.”

Sehun raises an eyebrow. A fight that was mutual? “So you agreed to be someone’s punching bag?”

“...It’s complicated,” Yixing sighs. He is relieved when he notices Johnny relax.

“Regardless, I still would like to know who did it.”

“No, Sehun, it’s okay. I’ve solved it.”

Sehun doesn't like taking “no” for an answer. But seeing as how Yixing is completely exhausted from climbing up several flights of stairs to get to the tower and from working on his homework so late, he decides to let the conversation end there for the time being. Maybe if Sehun was feeling particularly picky, he’d bring it up at a later date. He uncrosses his arms and picks up his cards. Even though they were already shuffled, he shuffles them again to keep himself distracted from Yixing’s steel gaze.

“So what are you still doing up?” Yixing asks out of the blue.

“Can’t sleep.”

“Do you want to talk? Maybe I could make a sleeping draught for you, if you’ve been having some trouble sleeping for some nights now?”

The idea of taking a sleeping draught sounded pleasant, really. But it wasn’t so much him not being able to sleep, it’s the dreams he’s been having that are keeping him from sleeping. They’re not visions (and he’s thankful for that), but they’re dreams that are so wildly vivid that Sehun always wakes up sweating.

And painfully erect.

Yes, it’s been  _ those  _ dreams that he’s been having. He hates them, really. He isn’t even entirely sure  _ why  _ he’s having them. Nothing had happened between him and...the person who appears in his dreams...and he doesn’t think anything  _ will _ happen. They were of two completely different houses. Two houses that are very well known for being at each other’s throats twenty-four-seven. So if they ever got together...well that would be some kind of an oddity, wouldn’t it?

Sehun’s light brown irises meet Yixing’s dark brown ones. There’s a certain warmth masked behind a lot of worry in those eyes. He wants to tell Yixing that he’s okay, but in reality, he probably isn’t. Whatever is making him wake up drenched in sweat, with an erection high enough to pitch a tent in his boxers, is probably of immense concern. He just wants, really, to get this problem sorted out with the stupid person who’s been causing them in the first place.

“Can I ask you something,” he asks after a momentary pause.

“Of course. Anything.”

Sehun would regret this. “Does Xiao ever talk about...is he someone who...Merlin, why is this so bloody difficult?”

“Does he ever talk about someone,” Yixing fills in with a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah.”

Yixing thinks about the question for a few seconds. Has Luhan ever talked about someone extensively? In the time that they hang out, only one name has ever come up on Luhan’s lips. He stares back at Sehun, who’s looking at him with this look of uncertainty glowering over his face. He isn’t sure how much he’s allowed to say and how much he isn’t allowed to say, given the fact that Luhan never actually gave him much instruction on how much he should talk about the subject. How far would he have to dive? How much was enough before he went too far to turn back? He shrugs and says, “Maybe once or twice.”

Sehun purses his lips, eyes quickly darting to the tip of his socks to hide his disappointment. He nods his head slowly, trying to let whatever vague information Yixing just told him sink in. Who would Luhan talk about? There were plenty of girls that were Sehun’s age or that were Luhan’s age that he must have fancied. Surely, someone like him wasn’t into...no, someone like Luhan can’t fancy someone like Sehun.

“Why are you asking?”

“Just curious,” he barks quickly. Sehun watches as Yixing shifts uncomfortably in the bed.

“You don’t like him, do you?”

Sehun scoffs. “Me? Like that Slytherin? You’re insane, ‘Xing.”

Yixing just stares at him, a reproachful gaze unmoving as he finds himself unhappy with Sehun’s dismissive answer. “There’s nothing wrong with it.”

“I don’t like him,” Sehun huffs. Though he isn’t sure who he’s trying to convince with that statement. For all he knows, it could be him talking aloud to himself. Besides, it didn’t seem like Yixing took his words seriously; the other was already slightly moving his head left and right. As though he were denying what Sehun said to be anything but lies.

“What about Hogsmeade?”

“What  _ about  _ Hogsmeade?”

“Aren’t you two getting butterbeer together?”

Somewhere to Sehun’s right, a snigger erupts from beneath a pile of blankets. He pretends he doesn’t hear Johnny losing it, and scoffs again. He isn’t sure when he picked up this habit. “I never said I was getting butterbeer  _ with  _ him. I just said that he owes me a butterbeer.”

“But earlier this week, you told me--”

“Maybe I accidentally said the wrong thing, but the point is, he and I aren’t going on this date to get butterbeer together.”

Sehun’s lips draw into a much finer line as he stares at Yixing. The boy’s hardened look has not shifted, and suddenly, his features seem to grow sharper. Those sleepy, downturned eyes narrow, growing more suspicious. He swallows, trying to look like he was calm and collected by running a hand through his bleached blonde hair. Of course, he was anything but. It was risky, trying not to spill everything to Yixing, even if he knew deep down that he could trust him. He would be too nice and caring to spill Sehun’s secrets. But then again, half the dormitory had found out that Sehun was someone who prayed nightly for his friends’ safety when Yixing accidentally started talking one time, so maybe he had reason not to say how he felt about Luhan. He waves his hand, levitating his cards with his wand before moving them into a neat stack on his nightstand. He dives under the covers, trying his best to use the deep maroon blanket to shield himself from Yixing’s prying eyes.

“Goodnight, Yixing,” he mumbled, turning onto his right so that his back would face the other boy.

He hears the other sigh a farewell of goodnight before there is a loud rustling of clothes. Then the sound of something moving along the velvety blanket. The candle flickers off, and the room is blanketed by the dark shadows and the blues of the moonlight that seep in from the windows.

* * *

“Chanyeol, I can’t sleep.”

The elf-eared “giant” stirs awake, turning onto his side to look at Jongin. The younger boy was staring at the top of his four-poster bed, eyes still as wide and awake as they were some hours ago. The covers of his bed were drawn up to his chest, shielding him and the small plush bear that Zitao had given him for his birthday beneath them. He looked tired, and surely irate. In fact, he could make out the bare minimum of a frown creasing his forehead. Chanyeol sits up, hearing Baekhyun mumble beside him about how he moves too much in his sleep.

“What’s up, Nini?”

“It’s Kyungsoo.”

Chanyeol blinks once or twice before his eyes widen. “Kyungsoo?”

“Yeah. We...we were at the boathouse together.”

As though he had never been asleep, Baekhyun shoots up with a wide, boxy smile and round orbs exclaiming, “You went out with Kyungsoo?!”

There are a few groans from Junmyeon and Taeyong’s beds as they too stir from their slumber. Jongin has shot up to a sitting position and is desperate to keep things under wraps. The last thing he needed was for the entire house to know he liked an intimidating prefect.

“Please keep it down,” he hisses. “I don’t want to wake anyone.”

“I think me waking up everyone is the least of your concerns, but I can understand, Nini,” Baekhyun coos with a wink. Jongin’s blank stare in his direction prompts him to continue the conversation. “What about Kyungsoo?”

“He...seemed like he wasn’t sure if he was going to be with anyone.”

“He has his two friends, doesn’t he?”

“Not friends. I mean...you know. Love interests.”

Baekhyun hums softly. “Everyone has someone. Maybe you’re his someone?”

_ If only, _ Jongin tells himself. Still, he doesn’t want to lose hope. To do so would be of great disappointment to himself. Maybe even Chanyeol and Baekhyun.

On cue, he hears Chanyeol whisper to him, “Have faith, Nini. Don’t rush it. The time will come when you two will confess to one another. I promise you, it’s him that you’ll be with.”

He smiles and thanks the two before returning to the comfort of his blanket. Just as he drifted off to sleep, both Baekhyun and Chanyeol exchange hopeful looks before they too ease into deep sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, my fellow Hogwarts students and EXO-Ls! Long time no see! I will be honest and allow you to set me aflame for foregoing my posting of this chapter for nigh on two months now. I'm sorry! I have no excuse, and am moreso ashamed that I did not properly set aside time to post amidst my art career and schooling. I hope that I have righted that wrong in some aspects. ><
> 
> I also hope that this chapter makes some ounce of sense, as it is where I had ONLY SLIGHTLY diverted from my original roadmap to incorporate easter eggs to the mini NCT Hogwarts AU that I am planning. It is only in the plan stage though, so no intent on releasing it anytime soon.
> 
> I hope that you are all doing well admist this chaotic world. Please remember to continue to stay safe and take care of your health, both mentally and physically, as well as care for others around you. Thank you, as well and as always, for your continued support and patience. I can never iterate it enough when I mean that from the bottom of my heart, I am truly grateful to you all. ❤
> 
> See you soon!  
xoxo Argent


	14. Jump Then Fall (Because I Promise I Will Catch You)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All it is is a leap of faith. <3

One thing that Sehun despised about his Quidditch captain was the need to enforce practice on Saturdays. Even if he personally liked flying around the pitch on a broom, as it was still new to him since he started in his first year, it wasn’t fun to sacrifice the time he and his friends could have spent making fusses around Hogwarts to practice.

Usually, his companions would accompany him to the pitch. They’d watch him as they ate their meals or did their homework, but not this Saturday. According to each one of them, Zitao had claimed he had to send a letter to his parents, Jongin needed to go to the library to study, and Chanyeol needed to make a quick stop at the Great Hall to sneak some food for his picnic with Baekhyun. Out of all of them, only Chanyeol’s story checked out (only because they had intentionally snuck out just to scout locations with him). With Jongin, he knew exactly why he would go to the library (if he hadn’t made it obvious already, his reason always started with a “K” and ended with double “O’s”). And Zitao...it could be legitimate; his parents were pretty much the embodiment of “helicopter parents” (a term that took some time explaining to him...muggle terms and all that, he had complained). But he was pretty sure that his reason for not staying had something to do with that Slytherin prefect that always kept catching them when they were involved in their stealthy endeavors.

It wasn’t like Sehun did need them, but the company was nice. Plus it was pretty late, so they would have left long before he finished anyway. He wouldn’t have to feel awkward walking out of the Quidditch pitch by himself. Today wasn’t so bad, though, minus the fact that they practiced for what could amount to an entire day. His captain had gone relatively easy on them; didn’t chastise him too much about “speed being key” to catch the snitch. He didn’t harass the beaters about where they hit the bludgers. He also didn’t constantly point out flaws in the chasers’ methods this time around.

Most, if not all, of the Gryffindor team had already left by the time Sehun was done. He waved to the captain, saying he would practice his flying just a bit longer (something that obviously lifted the glum frown from the captain’s face). He definitely did intend to keep to his word; he grabbed his Nimbus 2000 and walked back out onto the pitch.

He would have liked it to be empty. It just felt nice to have a large space to himself. But the presence of another player did not allow him that comfort. He wasn’t someone who was rude enough to tell them off, so he decided just to practice like normal. In fact, curiosity got the better of him, and he ended up walking over to whoever this fellow player was.

To his surprise, it was Luhan.

“Luhan? What are you doing here,” he called as he landed.

That seemed to startle the other out of his skin. He jumped so high that Sehun could have sworn he could just fly without the need of a broom. He stared with wide eyes at whoever verbally alarmed him. Once he took the time to analyze who it was, his shock died down and was immediately replaced by some form of loathing.

“I should say the same to you,” he snapped unnecessarily. “Didn’t your team just leave?”

“Don’t you not have practice today?”

“I can practice when I damn well please, Oh. Besides, the time table for practice at this hour is empty.”

_ Fair point, _ Sehun thought. There really was no need for him to make himself sound entitled, though. That was just extra. He turned on his heel. “I’ll leave you to it then.”

As soon as he attempted to walk back to his previous spot, a hand wraps around his wrist and tugged him back. He nearly trips, staggering two steps before he looks back to see that Luhan’s hand is clenched tightly around the dip of his wrist. Before he could say anything, his eyes took the time to analyze the sight before him. It was uncanny, but somewhat lovely; the Slytherin looked shy, slightly timid. The appearance rivaled the cold exterior and gruff demeanor that he was used to seeing. It was absolutely not the sight that he was greeted by in the dueling club and near the Slytherin courtyard. What brought this type of behavior on?

“Luhan?”

Immediately, his grip falters and eventually, his hand slips away. Sehun misses it already. He also wished he didn’t say anything because what are the chances that he’d ever experience something like that again?

“Is something the matter?”

The shorter male lets out a shaky sigh. His shoulders sag with the response, head drooping slightly. If he didn’t know, he might have thought that the Slytherin was acting dramatic. But the way he carried himself told Sehun everything; he genuinely felt some sort of fear or regret or...something.

“Do you think...” Luhan starts softly. He lets out another sigh. “Could you practice with me?”

Sehun sucks in a breath. Was he dreaming? Luhan asked him to practice with him? He didn’t want to pull a Jongin (as much as he loved his friend) and start freaking out. It was hard not to, though. But he was calm and composed, nodding. “Sure thing,” he said evenly (thanking Merlin as he did). 

So the two set up, Luhan standing opposite of him. The first thing Sehun notices is how shaky his grip on the hilt of his broom is. His hands are fidgeting more than they really should, which could lead to an unstable grip and therefore, the loss of control. Before he mounts his own, he walks over and places his own hands on top of Luhan’s. Warm meets cold, stilling shakiness as he maneuvers Luhan’s hands to hold the broom in a different way.

“What are you doing?” Luhan asks, glancing up at him. “I always hold my broom like that.”

“There’s nothing wrong with it, but you’ll have more control if you hold it this way.” Sehun adjusts his hands again, and once he’s sure that they’re in the right position, he squeezes them reassuringly. “Besides, it’s more comfortable too.”

When he goes to resume his previous position, he swears he could see the soft tinge of pink on Luhan’s cheeks. He pays no attention to it, though, and focuses on his own flying. He kicks off, waiting for Luhan to join him in the air. The Slytherin does, but he doesn’t fly that high.

In fact, he’s still really close to the ground.

Sehun lowers himself so he is even with the Slytherin seeker. “Luhan, can I ask you something?”

Luhan doesn’t meet his gaze. His eyes are trained on the floor that’s maybe six or so feet below him. “Yeah?”

“Are you afraid of heights?”

The Slytherin laughs shakily. “What gave you that idea?”

Sehun looks at the floor, then back at Luhan again. He recalls all of the matches between Slytherin and the other houses, particularly Slytherin versus Gryffindor matches. In their matches, when he wasn’t paying attention to the snitch, he vividly remembered how the Slytherin seeker always kept low to the ground. He wouldn’t be too high, always keeping a fair distance between him and the floor. He refocuses again on Luhan, who seemed to grow steadily more pale the longer they were in the air. He gestures to the floor. “Let’s head down. We’ll try something else.”

They meet on the floor and Luhan is the first to get off his broom. Sehun gestures for him to come over, which the older does, but hesitantly.

“Climb on.”

“What?”

Sehun rolled his eyes. “Climb on,” he repeated.

“Why?”

“I’m trying to ease you out of your fear of heights.”

Luhan scoffed. “It isn’t instantaneous, you dolt. I can’t just climb on a broom with you and forget about my fear of heights just like that.”

Sehun rolled his eyes again. “Well, my fellow dolt, we aren’t going to make you get over your fear of heights. We’re going to try to ease that fear up a bit.”

“How?”

“If you ride with someone else, you’ll probably get over it slowly.”

“How would that feasibly work?”

Sehun isn’t exactly sure if this is more of his dream that something that might actually help the Slytherin out. He knows that it’s been done with Zitao before--he used to have a fear of riding a broom, but after he rode around with Sehun, that fear had long since vanished. Maybe it wouldn’t work as well here, but it was always worth a shot. “Maybe it won’t work but isn’t it worth a shot?”

Luhan folds his arms across his chest, a preemptive frown sitting on his face.

“Don’t you want Slytherin to win the House Cup?”

That was enough to get Luhan to climb on the broom behind Sehun. His arms wrap tightly around the Gryffindor’s torso. He takes a deep breath.

“On three, I’m kicking off, alright?”

Luhan nods.

“One…”

His arms squeeze just a bit tighter around Sehun’s chest.

“Two…”

His head is leaning against Sehun’s shoulder.

“Three!”

Sehun kicks off and flies steadily around the pitch. He can’t help the laugh that shakes his chest, something that causes Luhan’s embrace to tighten just a bit more.

“Easy, Lu,” he whispers. His hand pats one of Luhan’s own. “I got you.”

Luhan’s response is a groan that causes Sehun to laugh again.

“How about this? We fly around the castle and the pitch a bit, just to get you used to the feeling of being this high?”

“That’s a horrible idea!”

“It’s pretty dark, Lu. Nobody’s going to see us.”

“What if I fall off? What if the broom snaps? What if--”

“Lu,” Sehun says again, this time more firm. “Remember, I got you. Please trust me.”

He really was asking for a lot. To ask Luhan to hop on the same broom as him, then to ask him to trust him. It was selfish, sure, to be demanding so much from someone he really did fancy who might not even like him in that way. But if he could live a little...Plus, he  _ was  _ helping Luhan in some way.

Luhan takes a deep breath, finally opening his eyes and lifting his head from Sehun’s shoulder. He swallows hard, the noise probably loud enough for the Gryffindor he’s clinging onto to hear. He was asking for a lot, but he got this far, so he might as well put the rest of his trust on Sehun’s shoulder, right? Besides...this was kind of nice...being this close to the Gryffindor and being out this late with him. He nods after a moment of silence. “Alright.”

He almost regrets his decision a few seconds later when Sehun immediately takes off in the direction of the castle. Luhan wants to scream, but he withholds the thought. Sehun is laughing again, overjoyed and probably running on adrenaline at this point. He doesn’t do anything wild that would make Luhan’s stomach twist and churn, though. Their flight was always kept at an even pace, never rising or dropping like a rollercoaster. If they did indeed ascend or descend, it was always something he eased into.

After some time, Luhan found himself relaxing; his grip around Sehun’s torso loosened a bit. It was still firm, but it wasn’t trying to squeeze the life out of him. He absentmindedly leans his head against Sehun’s shoulder again, but this time, he takes the time to admire the view. His heart is definitely racing, but it could be from fear or from being in love or maybe even a bit of both. He just knows, for sure, that this is probably one of the best nights he’s ever had in his five years at Hogwarts and he doesn’t want it to be over.

“Tell me when you want to head back to the pitch, alright? Or else we’ll be doing this forever.”

Forever. “Forever is a long time, Sehun,” Luhan laughs. But he wouldn’t mind spending it by his side.

By the time the light from the setting sun is lost over the western hemisphere, the two had since landed back at the quidditch pitch. Luhan accompanies Sehun to the tent to stow his broom and grab his bag. He half expected Sehun to ditch him soon after, but to his surprise (and Sehun’s own) he waited for him. The two walked back up to the castle with the faintest purple hue still in the sky. Before they continue further into the courtyard, however, Luhan stops the tall Gryffindor.

“Hey, Sehun, I want to say thanks for...well...you know…”

Sehun smiled. “No need to thank me. I’d have done it regardless.”

Luhan honestly found that hard to believe, but he merely shrugs. “I’ll see you around then.”

He makes it halfway across the clocktower courtyard before Sehun called his name again. His silvery hair dances wildly when he turns his head, a curious look on his face.

“Are we still good for Hogsmeade?”

Luhan's small smile grows. So Sehun still had intentions to go through with it after all. “Yes, we’re still good.”

* * *

Minseok prods at the potato wedges on his plate with a fork. His mind was racing rather heavily with a million thoughts, most of them concerning a Hogsmeade trip and Jongdae. Yes, the two of them have been on those trips many times before for the past five years. Almost always, Kyungsoo would be there with them too, so it’s been making his attempts to flirt with Jongdae near impossible. Then again, it was Kyungsoo who had noticed the flirting first, made snide comments about his many failed attempts, and then moved on. Where was he going with his train of thought?

Oh right, Hogsmeade.

This year, he was...is...absolutely determined to make things different. This year, he has to make a move or risk never expressing his feelings ever again. It was so insanely risky; the probability of asking Jongdae out and getting a resounding “yes” as a response is as unlikely as taking a dementor to the Yule Ball.

Huh, that would be something.

A whine too high to be anyone else stirs him from his thoughts and he looked up to see Jongdae sporting a pout too precious for his weak heart to handle. And it was that pout that was threatening to rip Minseok’s heart from his chest. He smiles apologetically, asking in a hushed tone for his friend to repeat whatever words he had just said.

“I was talking about charms practice, but I’ll just skip right to what I wanted to ask,” Jongdae huffs. “Do you want to go to Hogsmeade with me?”

The fork that once rested in his grip clattered loudly against the rim of his plate. A few pairs of eyes turned to look in the direction of the noise, but Minseok was way too shocked to notice wary gazes. Jongdae...Hogsmeade? Hogsmeade with Jongdae? He breaks out into a gummy smile that hid absolutely nothing in regards to his overwhelming feelings. As he is about to say something, he stops and closes his mouth again. Usually, if Jongdae asks him to go out, there was always a catch. There had to be. But what if he was wrong, and the question was as straightforward as Jongdae intended it to be?

Did he dare to take a leap of faith? Yes, yes he would. “With you?”

“And Kyungsoo, of course.” Jongdae adds with what should be a vile, evil smirk, but is just a cheeky grin.  _ Just  _ a cheeky grin.

There it was. Minseok tosses a potato wedge at him, hearing another whine in response. How dare Jongdae play with his feelings like that? Feelings were  _ not _ something to be toyed with. That is how one ended up with a broken heart, drunk on butterbeer, and completely crashed because of a sugar high from consuming way too many chocolate frogs.

How. Fucking. Dare. He.

Minseok looks away, very crossed. “You always were a brat, you know that? Mistreating your best friend like this...so disrespectful.”

Jongdae, for the third (but certainly not the last) time that night, whines again. “It’s so funny to see your reaction though!”

Another whine echoes in their little space when the eldest tossed another potato wedge at him. Some of the same heads look over, but most resume their conversations or whatever they had previously been doing. Jongdae tries to call his name, all attempts proving futile as Minseok proceeds to ignore him and eat in silence. If there’s something that he found always coaxed a response out of Jongdae, it was his famed silent treatment. Eventually, the younger will either whine incessantly about how his hyung was ignoring him or would eventually apologize. Most likely, it’s the former versus the latter, since for some ungodly reason, Minseok always seemed to let him have his way.

Stubborn brat...but Jongdae was his stubborn brat.

“Min, please pay attention to me!” Jongdae whined again. “MinMin! Why are you mistreating me?”

He still did not look over, and instead, asked, “I’m the one mistreating you?”

Jongdae laughs. “Yes! Because you aren’t giving me attention!”

“Need I remind you that you were the one who was rude to me?”

“But, Min, the reaction was amazing!”

“Jongdae,” the eldest said, tone stern.

The younger pouted. He hid his face and pretended to sniffle. Between the gaps in his fingers, he could see Minseok turn to face him. He looked like he was wrought with guilt at having made his friend “cry.” Too easy, Jongdae thinks.

“Dae?”

He pretends to sniffle again. “What,” he asks quietly and pointedly.

Minseok sighed. Damn did he hate seeing Jongdae cry, even if it was fake. It was like someone had kicked his favorite kitten. He gulped. “I’m sorry, Dae. I was being rude. I’m pretty sure you’re faking it, and you really shouldn’t do that to me. But I still...can’t...see you like that.”

Jongdae is half guilty but also half pleased with himself. He tucks his hands at his sides and smiles from ear to ear. Minseok had also smiled, though it wasn’t quite as joyous his usual smiles were. “Does that mean you’re still down to go to Hogsmeade?”

There’s a heavy sigh that falls from his lips. “Of course I’m still going to Hogsmeade with you and Soo, you...beautiful bastard.”

Jongdae laughs. He isn’t able to get anything out in response because Kyungsoo, like an apparition, appeared out of the blue. He set his messenger bag down and began to pile a helping of potato wedges onto his plate.

“You’re late,” Minseok deadpans.

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. “Quiet, Min. I had a busy night.”

Jongdae laughed. “Do you want to talk about it?”

There’s a shrug as the prefect began to shovel food in his mouth. Both Jongdae and Minseok took it as a sign that he would either tell them later or tell them never.

* * *

Junmyeon sincerely cannot explain why he had to consult Kyungsoo on matters that involved romance. He trusted the Ravenclaw’s judgement, but he didn’t know why he expected a response that was any different than “suck it up and just talk to your crush” and “I’ve been in this situation one too many times now.” Of course, Kyungsoo was genuine in his responses and actually did try to help. But from the straightforward “put aside your sour encounters” to the “I’m sure he’d like it, Junmyeon,” the Hufflepuff still felt nervous.

Insanely nervous and extremely flustered.

Yes, it was only one day of the entire year, but it was a big opportunity. Sure, he and Yixing had hung out many times before--why would this be any different--but the idea that there was, quite possibly, some feelings of affection roped between the two of them...What if he screwed up? What if he said something insanely stupid or did something so dumb that Yixing stopped talking to him? Hell, he wasn’t even sure if he liked Yixing that way. Maybe?

With his head uncharacteristically buried in the thicket of clouds, he walked straight into another body on his way to the Great Hall. Junmyeon stumbled slightly while his poor victim collided to the floor. A sizeable pile of parchment scattered before them and as Junmyeon bent down to retrieve the fallen paper with a volley of apologies running a mile a minute, a laugh more gentle than the softest touch from a motherly figure tickled his chest. He glances up past his glasses and smiles shyly.

“You really are too kind, Junmyeon,” Yixing says with a shake of his head. He takes the pile from Junmyeon’s hands and sticks them between a textbook. “Why are you out so late? You know it isn’t healthy for you to skip meals.”

The prefect spares a glance at the figure before him. He looked as though he hadn’t eaten either. Or slept; at least, he looked more tired than usual. His lips pout slightly. “Pardon my impoliteness but I would ask the same of you, Yixing. As you have stated, it isn’t healthy to skip meals nor is it healthy to forego sleeping. What has--”

“Befallen me?”

“I wouldn’t have asked it like that, but...yes. What has ‘befallen you?’”

Yixing shrugs his shoulder bag up higher. “A few instances have come up before I can officially sign to aid in the infirmary. Some paperwork that my grandparents must fill out, some official signatures before I can continue with the tonic. On top of all of my assignments, I’ve been running around quite a bit as you could probably tell. I will admit, I have skipped maybe one or two meals and maybe I have forfeited a few hours of sleep in order to catch up with my work, but rest assured, Junmyeon, it is not as bad as it appears.”

Junmyeon looks at him again, more intensely this time. He wrings his hands together, searching for something that he could say. Anything that he could say. “I can help you.”

“What?”

The prefect clears his throat. “What I meant to say was... _ could _ I help you? I can talk to the headmaster for you, have him sign the form. My owl Byul can deliver the parchment you need signed by your family. Then I can lend--”

Yixing smiles and does his best to wave it off. The gesture was nice, but he didn’t want to trouble Junmyeon enough as is. He already had a lot on his plate as a prefect. Adding to what troubles exist from that grueling task alone would not sit well on YIxing’s conscience. “Thank you for your offer, but I can handle it. You have enough troubles as is…” His mind quickly replayed the scene in the hall just a few weeks earlier. A shiver ran through his spine as his once cheerful grin turned bitter. “I wouldn’t want to add to them.”

The faint memory recalled from seeing that bitter smile occupied his mind then. Junmyeon frowns before quickly softening his features to ease the worried, strained soul in front of him. He tilts his head back slightly to align his gaze with Yixing’s. With a charmingly bashful smile, he asks, “Would you have time to have lunch with me at Hogsmeade, Yixing?”

Wide eyes stare at him as a single strand of once gelled-back hair falls onto the taller male’s forehead.

Continuing his coy act, he looks at his feet. “I understand if you’re busy or if you aren’t interested. I won’t take any offense to it, but I wanted to extend the offer.”

“No, ah, that would be fine,” Yixing utters quickly. He takes a deep breath to calm himself down. “I just...didn’t expect you to show any interest in spending time together.”

Now it was Junmyeon’s turn to sincerely feel flustered. Was he sure that he didn’t harbor any romantic feelings towards the Gryffindor? Despite his reddened cheeks, he glances up, genuine confusion knotted in his expression. “Why would I not be interested?”

“I...well...later, I’ll explain it...later. But yes, Junmyeon, I would be...well, genuinely honored to join you in Hogsmeade.”

The two exchange a warm smile and with a quick bidding of goodnight’s, they depart with flushed cheeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kinda a lengthy chapter, but I hope that all of the little ship moments are alright! :)) Lots of HunHan, SuLay, XiuChen...lots. I perhaps spent far too long on this chapter as a whole.
> 
> School is starting for me soon, but I will try to post as often as I can! I hope that this chapter was enjoyable--feel free to let me know your thoughts! I love reading your comments. ^-^


	15. Hogsmeade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The many group of friends discuss their plans for Hogsmeade on the way to the small, snowy village, anxious for what could be in store for them.

“Tao! Hurry up! It’ll be nightfall by the time we get to Hogsmeade if you take any longer!” A fuming Chanyeol shouts. He shuffles back and forth across the room for the upteenth time that day, his short boyfriend tailing behind him trying to calm him down.

“Give me five more minutes!” Zitao says hastily.

“You’ve been doing your hair for the past fifteen minutes, Tao,” Sehun laughs. He shifts from one foot to the other. “It’s just a casual Hogsmeade trip.”

Zitao huffs, audibly irritated. He fixes his gelled hair one last time before shrugging on his overcoat. “This is  _ not  _ just ‘a casual Hogsmeade trip,’ Sehun. We’re talking about my future today.”

“Your future?” Jongin asked rather innocently. That had prompted Baekhyun to abandon his still-fuming boyfriend to squish Jongin’s cheeks while fussing about how innocent he was.

“We’re talking about my future husband here,” he continues as he turns on his heel. “I have to look presentable and at my best. Besides, it’s almost Christmas and I have to—”

Sehun rolled his eyes, a smile still gleaming on his face. “How do you know it will end well?”

“It isn’t going to ‘end’, Sehun. It’s going to  _ go well _ . Just wait and see.”

Baekhyun grabbed Chanyeol’s arm and dragged him along as they walked down the dirt path. “I can’t believe you all grow up so fast.”

“Baekhyun, you’re no older than we are.”

“But my three children have fallen in love! Channie, aren’t you proud of them?”

“My three ‘children’ will be the death of me.”

As the five continue their walk down to the village, they begin to gush about their plans for the day.

* * *

All was without incident for Kyungsoo. For once in his entire five years at Hogwarts, both Jongdae and Minseok have not asked him once to chime into their conversation. He had to admit, it was certainly odd, but he couldn’t complain.

“Are you still reading that cookbook, Soo?” Minseok asked out of the blue.

So much for leaving him out, right? Kyungsoo sighs exasperatedly. “It isn’t  _ just  _ a  _ cookbook _ , Min. It’s Cooking the Muggle Way by Professor Mordicus Egg.”

Of course to break the tension, there was Jongdae. “Leave him be, Min! I think it’ll be interesting to see what our Soo chef cooks up.”

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes at the sorry excuse of a pun. Minseok didn’t exactly get it (having not been familiar with the various muggle terms for sometime now...even if it has been five years and Kyungsoo would have thought that Jongdae would have at some point taught most things to him...or Minseok would have at least looked it up by now), but that was of no importance to him. He does manage to crack a smile, though. “That was awful, Dae.”

“Sorry, Soo. It was too perfect. But are you still going to cook anything from there?”

“I don’t know. If I do, it’ll be over break. But it doesn’t seem...I don’t know...authentic enough, if you catch my drift.”

Jongdae nods. Then he tilts his head just slightly, curiously. Almost like a beagle. Kyungsoo notices Minseok’s blushing face just out of the corner of his eye. “I can get you a real cookbook over the break if you’re still interested. That way you’ll be cooking actual ‘muggle’ meals and not a wizard’s take on them.”

Kyungsoo beams. “That’d be amazing, Dae.”

Jongdae beams back.

On his left, Minseok pretends to stretch and ignores them. Jongdae, as ever observant about his crush, responds to this and flashes his kittenish smile to his kitten-eyed friend. Kyungsoo watches as Minseok is not only captivated by such an action, but also forgoes his brooding and reengages in their conversation. Kyungsoo just shrugs and focuses on the snowy landscape around them. Only Jongdae could snap his crush out of a mood.

Currently, Kyungsoo had been reading a wizard named Egg’s take on...well, eggs. The suggestion of using  _ Incendio _ to start a gas stove sounded awful. It seemed counterintuitive; from what Jongdae had told him about muggle appliances, they tended to start themselves. Didn’t it go against the “muggle way,” then, to start the fire yourself with a wand? Before he could continue down the list running through his head on how he could possibly start scrambling eggs, a hand waving in front of his face distracted him. He turned his head, fuming at a smirking Minseok. The glare accompanied by the scowl he was wearing just fueled the elder’s mischievousness, turning that vile smirk into a full blown grin.

“Something wrong, Soo?”

“Not at all, Min.” He sighed again. “What do you want?”

“Just wondering what our plan is for Hogsmeade.”

Kyungsoo caught that glint in his eye and knew exactly what the eldest was planning. It was high time he actually made a move. Being the good friend he is, he played along. “Did you have anything in mind?”

Minseok shrugged. “Not really. Well, maybe stop by Honeydukes, then head to The Three Broomsticks after? Nothing set in stone.”

Jongdae turns to him ecstatically. “Could we stop by Spintwitches?”

Spintwitches? Kyungsoo lifted a brow. “The sporting goods store?”

“Yeah. I...need to get something for my brother.”

Kyungsoo glanced over briefly to see if Minseok had even got a hint as to why he wanted to visit the sports store. Minseok looked baffled, but he didn’t seem to get it. He just smiled and nodded. Kyungsoo, honest to Merlin, was so tempted to slap him upside the head. How dense could his friend be?

“So Spintwitches is one stop. Anywhere else?”

Kyungsoo shrugged. He might as well take advantage of this, right? “I need to stop by Tomes and Scrolls and The Magic Neep.”

“The bookshop and the greengrocer’s?”

“Yes. Don’t ask why.”

Minseok didn’t need to ask why. He already knew why. It was all because of that cookbook in his hands. He was likely going to get ingredients and probably try to find a cookbook in a wizarding shop. “Sure, we can stop there too.”

Kyungsoo nods once and continues to tune them out before he could be interrogated any more.

* * *

“This is so exciting!” Baekhyun squealed as he clasped onto his giant of a boyfriend’s arm. “I know we’ve already been here, but it feels different. Right, Channie?”

“I think it’s because we’re dragging our three ‘kids’ around.”

Behind them, Zitao sticks his tongue out at them, Sehun wore a frown, and Jongin’s lower lip jutted out in a pout. Baekhyun cooed at them before turning back to his boyfriend. “Oh stop worrying, children. Mama and Papa will be off now to do our couple things. You three watch yourselves, okay?”

“Yes, Mom,” Sehun drawls with a smirk.

Chanyeol gapes at him, but before he could say anything more, Baekhyun drags him away in the direction of Madam Puddifoot's Tea Parlor. Then Zitao turns to look at his two remaining friends.

“I’m off to The Three Broomsticks if either of you want to tag along,” he said plainly. His gaze darts between the two as he internally prays they would accompany him.

Sehun raises an eyebrow, flirtatious expression toying on his face. “Aren’t you meeting with that Slytherin boyfriend of yours?”

Jongin nodded once, also joining in. “Yeah, are you sure that you’d want us to tag along?”

Zitao scowls. Now he really didn’t want them to tag along, for fear that they’d embarrass him further. “He’s not my—! You know, you two are right. I’ll see you two back on the platform later.”

Jongin and Sehun watched as he stalked off down the path to their left. Just as they were about to open their mouth to shout at him, he stopped, corrected his path, and walked to the inn by himself. The two laugh.

“He’s nervous,” Sehun mutters.

“He is really nervous,” Jongin replies. “Shall we continue into Hogsmeade proper?”

“Sure. I’m not sure where I’d have to meet with Xiao anyway.”

As the two walked down the main, snow-covered road going through the town, a laugh caught them off guard. When they glance in the direction of the noise, Jongin swore he could feel his heart stop. Even with the scowl that the older bore on his face, he couldn’t mistake those gorgeous doe eyes that still somehow managed to shine even in the cloudiest of situations. He stopped short, prompting Sehun to stop with him. The younger glances over and when Jongin looks back at him, he could see the surest hint of a smile on his lips.

“What?” Jongin asked dumbly.

Sehun chuckled. “You should go hang out with him.” He nods his head in the direction that Jongin’s crush stood. “Seems like he needs to get away from his friends.”

Of course, Jongin wildly shakes his head. “I can’t just ask! He’s with his friends, and it would be rude of me to intrude like that.”

Sehun claps his hands on both of his friend’s shoulders. “Jongin, this is your only chance to do something with this crush of yours. There are no other opportunities like this, and if there are, they’d happen only once in a blue moon.”

Jongin takes a cursory look back at Kyungsoo. And wow did he look miserable. If not miserable, at least just slightly desperate for some space. This is your chance, Jongin, he told himself. When he turns his head back, he and Sehun share a smile. “You think I have what it takes?”

“I know you do.” Sehun replies softly. He squeezes the older’s shoulders. “You can do this, Nini.”

When the youngest allowed his hand to slip from Jongin’s shoulders, he glanced in the direction of the candy shop. A familiar silvery tuft of hair had caught his eyes, somehow managing to stand out despite the blanket of white layden on the floor. His smile widens. “Well,” he announces, “I have to get going. Let me know how it goes back on the train.”

Jongin waves him off and turns back around. Despite the bubble of anxiety and frayed nerves egging him to hold back, he takes a step forward. And another step. And another. Until he firmly stood in front of Kyungsoo and his two friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From here, each ship will have a dedicated chapter for their Hogsmeade scenes and any other ship-heavy scenes throughout the rest of the fic. So XiuChen would have a chapter dedicated to their relationship progression, Kaisoo will have a chapter dedicated to their relationship progression, so on and so forth.
> 
> Chapters that indicate an important and specific point in a ship’s relationship (ie, a ship getting together) will be labeled with the ship in the title (ie, a chapter dedicated to Kaisoo getting together will be labeled: CHAPTER TITLE (KAISOO) ).
> 
> Feel free to let me know your thoughts on that! :)
> 
> NOTE: I will also be posting all of the Hogsmeade scene chapters AT ONCE, since they all take place at the same time. That way, if you prefer to read about the ongoings of one ship but not another (say HunHan instead of Kaisoo), that option is available. Please do note that future chapters do sort of piggy back off of these chapters, but enough context is provided in the chapter(s) after that detail the events that transpired in case you don't read them. (Briefly mentioned in passing in chapter 22; mentioned as little tidbits here and there in 1-2 chapters afterwards.)


	16. The Warmth of Comfort (KAISOO)

Jongin was already nervous. He did not need a million eyes (or what felt like a million eyes) burning into his soul. Though the short Ravenclaw’s friends were looking at him, the only person focused in his sights was Kyungsoo. The doe-eyed male looked at him curiously through thick-rimmed glasses.

“Hey,” the cat-eyed male starts, “you’re that Hufflepuff seeker that knocked the quaffle out of my hand.”

Jongin blushes. “Ah, yeah. Sorry about that. I was following the snitch and I don’t know why it—”

The same male waves it off. “Don’t worry about it. That was a while ago anyway.”

Jongin notices how Kyungsoo sends his friend a death glare before he turns back and gives his softest, most polite smile. That leaves Jongin’s heart hammering against his ribs.

“What did you need, Jongin?”

The Hufflepuff shifts slightly between each leg. “I was...I was wondering...if you wanted to...um...”

Kyungsoo gives him a gummy smile, eyes suddenly shining like they never had before. Jongin notes the way the flame from one of the street lamps glitters in his eyes. He didn’t think that he could fall more in love than he already had. “I’d be more than happy to accompany you around Hogsmeade.”

“You would?” Jongin asks wide eyed. He internally curses himself. “I mean, that’s wonderful! Shall we...um...go then?”

Kyungsoo laughed. Oh Merlin, was it the most blessed noise Jongin has ever heard. “Of course.” He looks back quickly at his gaping friends. “I’ll see you both back near the station. Have fun, you two.”

And then Jongin’s being dragged down the path towards the bookseller’s. He manages to catch Sehun’s gaze, and the youngest sends him a thumbs up of approval. He smiles back and focuses once more on the feeling of Kyungsoo’s hand in his.

Though Jongin was the one following behind Kyungsoo, he was able to reach over the shorter man’s head to pull open the door to Tomes and Scrolls. He beams when Kyungsoo thanks him for holding it open. As soon as he follows the Ravenclaw into the store, he is met by a short old wizard with a beard almost as long as the man’s short stature. He gazes at the two of them through half-moon spectacles and smiles.

“Morning, gentlemen. What is the occasion today?”

“Good afternoon. I’m looking for another cookbook.”

“I think I remember you. The young wizard with an interest in muggle appliances, yes? What of the book by Professor Egg?”

“I was wondering if you had any more...selections.”

“Besides the one? Unfortunately no.”

Kyungsoo simply hums, bows, and dismisses himself. Jongin follows after him. “That’s a shame,” the Ravenclaw murmurs.

“You want a cookbook,” Jongin asks with wide eyes.

“I know, I know. A wizard should not act as a non-wizard...” Kyungsoo smiles shyly. “I’ll admit, while it’s convenient to use magic to cook, it isn’t as exciting as cooking like how muggles do. There’s something more...thrilling...in the way they cook. It feels more genuine and it feels like something where the person cooking actually gets to engage more intimately with...anyways. It’s been hard finding a genuine muggle cookbook since all of the wizarding stores only sell the one by Professor Egg, and well, that uses magic.”

Out of the blue, Jongin blurts out, “I can get you a hundred cookbooks!”

Kyungsoo laughs. The laugh is enough to almost turn Jongin into a puddle. “No, it’s fine, Jongin. You don’t need to trouble yourself over that.”

The Hufflepuff visibly pouts. “What if I want to?”

“Trouble yourself?”

“Get you a cookbook.”

The prefect shrugs. “I wouldn’t ask you to. But it’s your choice, isn’t it?”

“Kyungsoo, I will find you a cookbook. The best one there is.”

The proclamation was honestly adorable in Kyungsoo’s eyes. So much so that he’s laughing again, light and airy. With the mood surely much brighter than when they had left the bookstore, he takes Jongin to The Magic Neep, a magical greengrocer. 

“A greengrocers?”

Kyungsoo flashes him a semi-peeved look that immediately disappears once Jongin utters his apologies. “I’ll admit, I’ve been buying things to cook for myself in the dormitories when I didn’t want to eat school food. I know. How ungrateful of me to not eat the food served to us, but...if I’m going to be a chef, I want to at least practice when I can.”

Jongin tries desperately to hide his smile. “No no,” he almost gasps, “it’s…” Cute? He can’t call Kyungsoo _ cute _ (well, he can, but he might get jinxed). “Adorable,” he croaks.

The Ravenclaw stares at him with wide eyes. Jongin internally beats himself up. The next word he decides to use instead of cute is to call his crush _ adorable. _ Like that is any better. It’s probably worse.

Far worse.

“Sorry, I...I didn’t mean adorable! It was adorable! But what I meant to say was you wanting to be a chef is really cute. Not _ cute _cute...but cute? Please understand what I’m trying to say.”

Kyungsoo smiles and replies, “I understand, Jongin,” before shopping around. Jongin follows after him, deciding that he should try to keep his mouth shut before he says anything that would make him look more childish.

It was almost the late afternoon when the two left the greengrocers, the bookstore, and Dervish and Banges when they dropped inside of The Three Broomsticks. It was crowded as per usual, students and wizards of all ages occupying tables and chairs in all spaces of the building. There was one open spot near one of the fireplaces that Kyungsoo led the two of them to. As the eldest of the two went to order drinks, Jongin had sat and counted what he had bought for his family back at Godric’s Hollow, and his loyal (and chaotic) friend group.

When Kyungsoo had brought him to the greengrocers, Jongin didn’t initially count on buying anything. He ended up leaving with more bags on his arms than even Kyungsoo had on one arm. Small items such as non perishable snacks he would send by owl to his family when he got back to Hogwarts. Other items he decided he would give to Baekhyun and Chanyeol for their picnic, but he didn’t tell Kyungsoo about that (thankfully the elder didn’t ask). He had just finished counting off the bag of fruits when Kyungsoo returned with two full mugs of butterbeer. He sets one down in front of Jongin before sitting down and sipping his.

“Thank you, Kyungsoo,” Jongin sighs merrily. “I really do owe you. This is a lot for one person to pay for.”

Kyungsoo moved his mug from his lips, but before he could shake his head, Jongin had already unconsciously moved to wipe the foam mustache above his upper lip. He tried to hide his smile. “It’s nothing, Jongin. It...is a nice change of pace.”

“You normally pay for your friends?”

“Usually yes,” the Ravenclaw chuckles. “I swear, Jongdae and Minseok spend more time arguing over who will pay than actually paying. They’re like a couple, you know? I usually pay for the meals or butterbeer or anything else by the time either one of them thinks to pull their galleons out.”

The Four Horsemen usually always switch off who pays whenever the four of them hang out. Last time they went out and only one paid for all four of them was when they all went to buy school supplies together. Jongin had barely enough to pay for his things since his family had trouble back at Godric’s Hollow, so Zitao offered to pay for his supplies instead. Then when Sehun saw Zitao paying for Jongin, the youngest begged for his supplies to be bought. And when Zitao obliged, Chanyeol had pouted so much that Zitao had to pay for his things too. Needless to say, it’s been awhile since Jongin has ever had to pay for any of the others’ supplies or treats. Not only does he feel guilty about having his friends pay for his things, he also feels guilty about having Kyungsoo pay for something as small as butterbeer. When Jongin goes to open his mouth to say something, Kyungsoo shakes his head.

“Please don’t feel guilty, Jongin. It really is nothing. Besides, it’s been quite awhile since I had the opportunity to treat anyone.” He smiles. “I think it should suffice as ‘payment’ for going out with me today. I had a lot of fun.”

Jongin feels like a fool for leaving his mouth open for too long and decides to preoccupy himself by drinking his butterbeer. Kyungsoo laughs when his mug is lowered, and just as Jongin had done earlier, proceeds to wipe the foam from Jongin’s upper lip with his thumb. The two burst into laughter, and in the merriment, are unaware of how much closer they had moved towards one another.


	17. Just Maybe... (HUNHAN)

Luhan shifted his weight from one foot onto the other, staring at his reflection in the window. He had uncharacteristically ditched his heavy eyeliner and brooding look and had instead kept his face mostly bare. He almost grimaced, still not used to the way so many eyes kept shifting onto him. As though they were far too interested in him. He almost regrets stepping out of the Slytherin common room; he wouldn’t have to be so barefaced and moody if it weren’t for his stupid butterbeer offer with Sehun.

_ Speaking of which _ , Luhan thought, _ where is the bloody bastard? _

On cue, Sehun walked up to him with a soft smile on his face. He was dressed rather warmly, baby blue wool overcoat stopping close to his knees over a pair of black jeans, a matching black beanie covering the tips of his ears. Small blonde baby hairs peeked beneath the hat. If Luhan had dared to admit it, he would almost say that the guy looked _ handsome _. If he also didn’t hate the Gryffindor so much (he was convinced he did).

“Hi!” Sehun called. He looks past the fuming face that the shorter boy wears and at the sweetshop behind him. “Want to go into Honeydukes? You looked like you were interested.”

Luhan rolls his eyes and scoffs. “Honeydukes overrated and overpriced. At best.”

It’s Sehun’s turn to roll his eyes. “Yeah, that’s what they _ all _say before they actually go inside.”

“Well, I really do think that it's rubbish.”

“Yeah right,” Sehun laughs. “We’ll go inside and buy some pumpkin pasties, cauldron cakes, a few chocolate wands, maybe even some toffee and sugar quills. Easy things for a ‘Honeydukes Virgin’ to try.”

Luhan looks at him, expression drawn between slightly bewildered and slightly peeved. “I’m not a Honeydukes...fine, we’ll do things your way, but this doesn’t feel very fun for a—”

Sehun raises a brow at him. “For a what, Luhan?”

Luhan can see the beginning of a smirk working its way onto Sehun’s lips. Because he has no desire to finish his initial thought, Luhan forces himself to storm into Honeydukes while Sehun laughs behind him.

When the door to the candy shop is opened, the first scent that overpowers Luhan’s nostrils is the smell of sugar and chocolate. There’s a lot of it, so much that he almost wants to vomit. But the second scent that hits him is the sort of smell associated with tarts. It’s tangy, sour, fruity, and overall more pleasant than the stench of chocolate. Sehun pushes him further into the store, arm looping around Luhan’s shoulder as he guides him past all of the eyes staring at the two of them and the candy aisles. The first thing he pulls from a shelf into a bag are pumpkin pasties, then cauldron cakes, followed by a few pieces of toffee, sugar quills, and chocolate wands. Luhan follows along beside him, silently wishing the checkout process was just a bit faster. He’s tired of having so many eyes on him and so many whispers surrounding him.

Maybe Sehun catches his discomfort because soon, he’s rushing the two of them out of the shop with the bag of candy. All the while, shouting to the store owner, “Keep the spare galleons!”

Once they are safely hidden away from prying eyes, Luhan pulls him aside. He’s torn between wanting to rip Sehun to shreds and praising him for having some assemblance of environmental awareness. Maybe he’ll do both.

“Before you tear me to pieces,” Sehun starts warily, “let me admit to you that I didn’t know that people were going to stare and talk about you. Or me. Or us. But if I had known, I wouldn’t have put my arm around you and paid for you. And I wouldn’t have dragged you inside Honeydukes. And the truth is, I’m sorry.”

Sehun’s sorry? “You’re sorry?” Luhan replies, almost in disbelief.

“Why wouldn’t I be? Everything that they said, every time they stared, I could tell that you were getting more uncomfortable. I shouldn’t have brought you in there if you were not feeling welcome. That isn’t something that you should have to feel.” The Gryffindor sighs. “Alright. Now you can tear me to pieces.”

Luhan’s eyes have widened. This was...probably the first time in a while where someone genuinely apologized for their actions. Where someone did something other than pity him. Hell, the entire time, he had thought that Sehun had only done every action purposefully to show off the fact that he was with a veela, but as it turned out...the opposite was true. Sehun didn’t know...or he was too naive to figure it out until too late. He kicks the snow beneath his shoes for a moment or two before he takes a deep breath. He needed to sit down and sort his thoughts. “Want to get butterbeer now?”

Sehun nods, answering almost silently, “Sure. I’ll follow your lead.”

“The deal was _ I _ owe _ you _ butterbeer. Not the other way around,” Luhan muttered. He watched as Sehun set the glasses down in front of the two of them.

“Well, I felt like I owed you so...here we are.”

Luhan looked around the room, silently praying that nobody was looking at them. When he and Sehun had entered The Three Broomsticks, there were a few eyes on the two of them. Not lingering long enough to make him uncomfortable, but almost long enough to make him slightly anxious. He and Sehun had ordered drinks, retreated to one of the most secluded tables that they could find amidst the busy pub, the younger went to get said drinks, and there they were. He didn’t count on Sehun buying them either; had he known, he might have strolled over in confidence and paid instead. As soon as he began to nibble on his lower lip, Sehun’s fingers began to massage his knuckles.

“Take it easy, Luhan. Don’t worry. I made sure to choose one of the more hidden seats in the pub so people wouldn’t stare. And I won’t do anything to you if that’s what you’re worried about.” Sehun gives him a small smile. “I promise.”

Luhan stares at the pair of perfectly glowing brown eyes, the light from the fireplace beside them reflecting off softly. He easily got lost in the sensation of Sehun’s thumb running small circles over his knuckles. Everything felt warm and cozy, and it allowed him to slowly ease his tense shoulders. Sehun had made sure he felt comfortable, said he wouldn’t do anything that would make him feel any sort of discomfort. 

“You’re sure,” he asked warily. Sehun looked like he was about to retort something, but instead, he closes his mouth and nods. _ He promised, _ Luhan reminded himself. For once, it felt like something that he knew wouldn’t be a complete lie.

Maybe just this once, he could afford to let his guard down? Maybe for once, he wouldn’t have to worry about being seen as a pretty little face because he was a veela? Just maybe...

No, he couldn’t. Not yet.

He stares at Sehun, hesitating to drink the butterbeer. He waits for anything that would cause the Gryffindor’s resolute, stoic expression to falter.

Nothing.

“Did I do something wrong, Luhan?” Sehun asks after a few beats. He sounded genuinely worried, brows furrowing. Aside from the changed expression, there was nothing that struck Luhan as off.

He can’t say anything. Not yet. Luhan shakes his head. “No, nothing.”

When he decided to let go of his worry and drank the butterbeer, it was as though everything he had worried about seeped from his mind. It had been so long that he genuinely forgot how warm and delectable butterbeer was. He lowers the mug, smiling. “Wow.”

Sehun returns his smile. “‘Wow’ indeed. That was the quickest I’ve ever seen someone down half a glass of butterbeer. I think that was more than Tao’s first glass.”

“Tao?”

“My friend. Didn’t try butterbeer or anything from Honeydukes for the longest time. He said the exact same thing as you too, that it was overrated and overpriced. Speaking of which...”

Luhan watched as he placed the bag of candy onto the table.

“We’re going to have you eat some of them first.”

The Slytherin wants to laugh. “Right now?”

Sehun nods vehemently. He starts rifling through the bag. “I say we have you try...the cauldron cakes! I personally like these the best. Or the toffee.”

Luhan simply nods along, waiting and watching. Sehun had started mumbling something about the candy they bought, probably talking about each one to explain everything to him. None of the words connected with Luhan’s ears though; even his talking sounded distant. He finally catches himself before he gets lost in his companion’s appearance...didn’t want to start falling so fast. 

When Sehun fishes out two cakes and hands one to Luhan, he hesitantly bites into the soft treat. It was sweet as a cake should be, but not as sweet as candy. The frosting and sprinkles were a nice addition to the chocolate cake. “Not bad.”

Sehun smiles triumphantly. “I knew I could convert you!”

“Don’t be so hopeful. I only said it wasn’t bad. I didn’t say I liked it.” Luhan chastises as he wipes the crumbs from his clothes. There would be a day when he _ would _ admit that he did indeed _ like _ the cauldron cake, but today wasn’t the day. He points at the small wrapped candy. “‘Toffee,’ was it? Let me have one.”

When he ate the toffee, he almost grimaced. “Is it...supposed to be this chewy?”

Sehun laughs at him, and though Luhan is half-tempted to Jinx him, he doesn’t do anything. Instead, he finds himself smiling. Everything was quaint, almost serene even. He could find himself getting used to something like this.


	18. Yifan (TAORIS)

How funny it was that the one place that was usually quite merry and uttered welcomes was the only place where Zitao felt so uncomfortable. Usually, when he arrived with his friends, Hogsmeade was quite a warm place, a place where he wouldn’t mind being lost there. At the current moment, he wished that he was anywhere else. There he was, standing out in the frigid cold of Hogsmeade, a black wool overcoat wrapped around his body. All the witches and wizards that passed him stared at him, muttered words hidden behind gloved hands. A couple of eyes glanced over in his direction, solemn whispers uttered behind covered hands.

He shifted from one leg to another. He kicked the snow, muttering more to himself than the numerous people standing around him. “Face it, Tao. You’ve been played.” He smiles bitterly. “Kris probably finds it really funny that he could trick some childish fifth year into thinking that he would have a chance. Hell, he probably finds it funny that you get flustered so easily.”

His gaze fleets across the open path. For a moment, he contemplated trying to find his friends and hang out with them instead. For Merlin’s sake, he would be willing to risk his dignity and tag along as a third wheel with Chanyeol and Baekhyun.

Well, maybe not. He’d never respect himself the same.

He tries one more time and looks around the street. Then his eyes catch the Slytherin prefect walking towards him. His heart jumps into his throat and suddenly he’s trying to get it back down. A man with unruly hair should not look so attractive; Kris changed that narrative quickly.

“Hi,” he manages weakly.

Kris raises an eyebrow at him, and Zitao has to remind himself who he’s in the presence of. “You alright, Zitao?”

Oh Merlin, he might die. Zitao nods.

Then Kris flashes him a gentle smile and he swears he melts on the spot. “Sorry for being late. Some of my friends insisted on tagging along, but I told them not to.”

“It would have been okay if they did,” is what he says. In reality, Zitao was more than happy that they indeed did not tag along. He didn’t think he could stand the idea of sharing who should be his.

“It’s for the best that they didn’t. They’re...something.”

“I can understand that.” Zitao doesn’t really mean it...he loves his friends dearly. He could get past the teasing though.

“That’s good. It’s hard to explain their antics sometimes.” Kris muttered something under his breath before stuffing his hands in his pockets. Zitao’s curious, but he won’t press. He knows not to. “Well, we’re at Hogsmeade. Is there anything that you want to do?”

Now that he had made a potential step in the right direction, almost everything that Zitao knew disappeared. He had grand plans in his head before he confirmed that Kris would meet him at Hogsmeade. Now that the dream was a reality, he realized that he had absolutely no idea how to proceed. He glances around quickly, trying to think of somewhere to go. He looks at Kris and notes the playful upturn of his lip.

“Maybe we should go to the Shrieking Shack?”

Zitao’s eyes widen. There’s no way he’s going to the most haunted place in Britain. He smiles awkwardly and replies, “Actually, I was thinking we could go to—”

“Hey, Yifan!”

Zitao watches with mild amusement as Kris closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. Behind the tall boy is a small group of wizards. One roughhouses him a little before Kris pushes him off. Zitao has to hold back his laugh.

“I told you not to call me that, Henry.”

The boy known as Henry laughs. Another one of Kris’ friends nods towards Zitao. “Is he your date?”

He could feel his cheeks heat up at that. He almost swore he saw Kris’ cheeks turning a light shade of pink, but it chalked it up to be a trick of his eye.

“Minho, Henry, if you two don’t...I’ll meet you back at the castle,” Kris growls. Before anyone could say another word, Kris had grabbed Zitao’s hand and dragged him up the road towards the Three Broomsticks.

“Sorry about them,” Kris says after a long and awkward silence. “I didn’t think they’d find out where I went.”

Zitao was still shaken up over being called Kris’ date. He wasn’t uncomfortable with it (perhaps far from it), but he couldn’t displace the hundreds to thousands of possibilities floating through his head. What did Kris say to the two before he met up? Was this actually a date? Would this mean that Kris thought about him in a way that was more than the hopeless romantic in his dormitory? Being drowned in his own thoughts, Zitao didn’t think to say anything to alleviate the heavy situation. And as though being dragged by a ghost, he is brought to a seat in the pub.

Only once he’s sat down and Kris leaves to order them a drink does he finally put two together and realize where he is. All he internally prays for is that nothing changed in the few seconds between meeting Kris’ friends and sitting down to get butterbeer together.

He wants to apologize, but he has no clue what he wants to apologize about. When Kris puts two pewter mugs on the table before him, he starts by saying, “If it’s any consolation, the name ‘Yifan’ is a really nice name.”

Kris stares at him. Zitao almost shrinks in his seat. He resorts to staring at the foaming cup of butterbeer on the table, not daring himself to meet Kris’ gaze.

“Thanks. Not the name I prefer to be called by...but thank you.”

“Why not?”

Kris shrugged.

Zitao takes a deep breath. “Can I call you ‘Yifan’? I know it isn’t your preferred name, but...I don’t know. I like the name.”

Maybe it was stupid and childish of him to ask. He knows and also barely knows Kris. He’s likely stepping out of line by asking to use his real name. He looks up and watches warily as Kris lifts the mug to his lips. There’s a smile on his face, a slight tinge of pink on his cheeks that Zitao is convinced isn’t a trick of the light. His breath gets caught in his throat as he waits for an answer.

“I’ll make an exception for you,” Kris answers. As he drinks, he winks at Zitao. He would have lost his head then and there had it not been for the ridiculous foam mustache on his upper lip that only makes him laugh.

Kris laughs with him as he wipes his upper lip. And Zitao thinks it’s the most mesmerizing sound he’s ever heard in his life. “I probably looked ridiculous right there.”

“No, no,” he answers quickly. “You looked…”

Kris looks at him with profound interest. He didn’t say a word. He only waited.

“...Great...” Zitao finishes slowly. He internally kicks himself.  _ Smooth _ .

Kris breaks into a soft laugh again.


	19. Lend Me Your Hand (SULAY)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes you don't have to handle things alone...

Junmyeon didn’t think he could ever get used to the warmth and comfort that he got from being at Yixing’s side. Even if they were doing something as small as riding on the train together, something about it was so...surreal. He couldn’t explain it and he figured that if he even tried, nothing would make sense. All he knew is that, somehow, it felt so right. So when Yixing asked him if they could make a quick stop at Dogweed and Deathcap, how could Junmyeon turn him down?

The two walked into the apothecary store, greeting the store clerk politely before they began to look around the shop.

“What did you need to get here, Yixing?” Junmyeon asks, glancing at the various flasks of measured ingredients. They pass by a bottle of pufferfish eyes that causes him to grimace slightly.

“Honeywater, valerian root, nettle leaves, rose petals, dittany leaves, fairy wings, and silverweed extract. I only hope that all of those ingredients are here.”

Junmyeon repeated the list of ingredients in his head. His brows knitted together as he watched Yixing grabbing specific ingredients from the shelves. He had already picked out the leaves, petals, and roots by the time Junmyeon thought to inquire about his ingredient list. “All of the ingredients are used in a blood-replenishing potion. Why do you need one of those? You aren’t sick, are you?”

He could hear Yixing gulp, but then he sighs, shoulders sagging slightly. He didn’t meet Junmyeon’s concerned gaze. “You’re right. It isn’t for me. I’ll...tell you when we get lunch. For now, could you help me find the fairy wings and silverweed extract?”

Junmyeon nods, going to the counter to fetch the silverweed extract. Yixing joins him a few minutes later, having found the fairy wings himself. As soon as the wizard behind the counter tells them the amount of galleons needed to pay for their ingredients, Junmyeon fishes out his pouch of galleons.

“Junmyeon, I can pay,” Yixing says almost immediately.

“It’s alright. It isn’t that much. Besides, I wanted to pay.”

Yixing stares at him for a few beats before he hides his sigh behind a resigned smile. That’s enough confirmation for Junmyeon to proceed, handing the clerk thirty-eight galleons.

They utter their well wishes to the wizard and head out of the shop. Yixing takes a brief moment to check his list before nodding towards the Three Broomsticks Inn. They walk in silence for the most part, only talking to make small, offhanded observations from time to time. It lasts until they are inside the Three Broomsticks; Junmyeon made remarks here and there (jokes mostly) once they were sat down. Two foaming pewter mugs full of butterbeer and a small plate of cornish pasties are placed on their table. They drink in momentary silence,

“Yixing, about this potion…” Junmyeon starts the conversation, trying to ignore the surprised look on his friend’s face. “What do you intend to do with it?”

Yixing chews on his lip. After a few minutes (which consisted primarily of Junmyeon patiently waiting for him to talk only when he felt comfortable), he decided to speak. “After potions class, I received a letter from St. Mungo’s Hospital. You were with me at the time...you asked me to get lunch with you. I said no...because it felt like I didn’t have any time. My grandmother...she’s sick. A blood malediction, a curse, but the hospital can’t pinpoint what kind.”

Junmyeon frowns. It certainly explained why his friend looked so exhausted the numerous times they had run into each other. He wouldn’t discount that it was one of the primary reasons why Yixing had been avoiding him. Still, he was positive that there was something else. He wouldn’t pry, of course, but he still wondered. He waits, then, for Yixing to continue if he decides to.

“The potion is supposed to help replenish the drinker’s blood after injury. They notified me that she had sustained an injury, but didn’t tell me what. I guess out of desperation, I wanted to make her a potion to try and help her. I just didn’t know where to start.”

Yixing had paused again. He was going to open his mouth to speak, but stopped.

“Do you know how far along the malediction is? How weak is she?”

“They never told me. I don’t know if they want me to stop trying or if they think that it isn’t my place to know. But she’s family so I don’t understand why they wouldn’t say anything.” He swallows hard. “All I know is that it feels like I don’t have any time left.”

“We can make time. It won’t be easy, but we can try.”

“‘We?’” Yixing repeats, looking at him curiously.

“If you would allow it, I want to help you, Yixing. It’s your call. Not mine. But I do want to help you. I can keep it hushed, and I can try to ask for resources from the professors or clubs. I can see if I can schedule time out of our classes for you to go to St. Mungo’s to see her. I think…” It’s Junmyeon’s turn to swallow the lump in his throat. “...I think she would like that.”

Yixing stares between him and the pewter mug. He smiles. For the first time since they were at Hogsmeade together, Junmyeon saw him smile. Even if it was small, he could still see the indent of his dimples. The sight warmed his heart and he returned the gentle smile.

“You don’t have to handle this alone, Yixing. I don’t want you to handle it alone,” Junmyeon murmurs, the latter sentence more to himself.

“I know...thank you, Junmyeon.”

Amongst their conversation, neither had taken notice that their fingers were linked together atop the table.


	20. Our "Date" (XIUCHEN)

Ever since Kyungsoo had ditched his two best friends on their Hogsmeade trip together, Minseok had been forced (though the term was rather harsh in this situation) to interact with Jongdae.

Exclusively.

Maybe, just maybe, it was a blessing in disguise? He couldn’t see how it was, but he’ll take it regardless. Any chance to be with just Jongdae was more than enough for him. Sometimes it felt like it wasn’t enough. He did want more, that much was undeniable, but whether his best friend (sorry Kyungsoo) wanted the same was never something he was sure of.

In fact, he was convinced that Jongdae liked someone else.

It makes it all the more infuriating for him that every interaction was possibly a throwaway. The chance of him being with Jongdae was likely never going to happen. Why settle on just Jongdae and not move on?

Minseok was hopelessly attached, and there didn’t seem to be any way to unanchor his affection. He was well and truly—

“MinMin, can you  _ please _ stop ignoring your freezing best friend?!” Jongdae wails.

Minseok turns to look at him, smiling a gummy smile from ear to ear. Even though Jongdae was wrapped in a puffy pink jacket, he was still shaking from the cold. On instinct, he takes his blue scarf and wraps it warmly around Jongdae’s neck. Even something as small as his scarf should (hopefully) keep him warm. In his antics, he fails to notice the intense amount of red flooding Jongdae’s cheeks at the quick gesture. And when he does finally see it, he chalks it up to his best friend being cold as a popsicle.

“Is that better, you whiny cat?” Minseok teases. He could feel his heart reeling when Jongdae hit him with that familiar, warm kittenish smile. He changes the subject as quickly as he can. “Where to?”

“I wanted to go to Spintwitches,” Jongdae says firmly.

Minseok lifts an eyebrow inquisitively. Jongdae didn’t play quidditch. There would be no interest in going there unless he was interested in seeing Minseok’s own reaction. But he would be kidding himself if he said Jongdae was interested in what he had to think going there. Still, he shrugs and nods. Might as well go with the flow. “Alright.”

They walk down the snowy road towards the quidditch shop. In the window was a set of quidditch gear on display, a closed chest (likely containing the four different balls in the game), and the Thunderbolt VII. Minseok stared in awe at the broom. Jongdae laughed.

“It’s far better than my broom, alright?”

“Only if you sacrifice safety for speed!”

Minseok hated to admit it, but Jongdae did have a point. Though the Thunderbolt was fast, he did know that if a bludger rant into the tail, it would knock it clean off. Still, he didn’t have any idea how Jongdae knew about that, but he wouldn’t discredit him. Maybe it was simply common knowledge? With a shrug, he enters the store with Jongdae following not far behind him.

While he took the time to peruse the different broomsticks (mentally going over which one was better and which one was worse while also keeping tally of how much they cost), Jongdae had dashed off elsewhere into the store. He wasn’t entirely sure where, but he could only guess that he was trying to find something for his brother. Even if it was a bad idea to get a wizard item for a muggle, it was still a nice gesture...he supposed. Come time to talk to Kyungsoo about how their…”date”...went, Minseok would say that he forgot about Jongdae while they were shopping. Though, truth be told, he only had Jongdae on his mind since it was just the two of them.

Nearly half an hour later, Jongdae shows up at his side again, trying his best to hide the shopping bag behind his back. Minseok thought the gesture was cute; if he was trying to make it a surprise, it wasn’t a good one at that. He wouldn’t mind playing dumb if it meant Jongdae could be happy.

“Ready to go?”

Jongdae nods enthusiastically.

“Where did you go in the store anyway? It isn’t that big, so I’m surprised that I lost you.”

“Well you had your head wrapped up on broomsticks, so I’m  _ not  _ surprised that you lost me,” Jongdae snaps with a laugh.

Minseok rolled his eyes and is the first to push out of the store. The two made a quick stop at Honeydukes. Just as they were nearing the candy store, Minseok swore that he saw Luhan. He looked almost panicked and had been rushed out by someone who had their arm around his shoulders. The boy was the Gryffindor seeker, and to be frank, Minseok thought that they both looked worried. His gaze had followed them down the road as they left the store before they were far from his sight.

“Is everything alright, Minseok?” Jongdae asks softly. His gaze had also followed in the direction that the elder had been looking, but he saw nothing. “You look worried.”

“Yeah...probably seeing things. It looked like Xiao was...nevermind.”

When Minseok turned to look at Jongdae, he could see that a look of concern was etched on his face. “Are you sure you don’t want to check up on him? I know you two were close. If you still care about him, that’s fine. I understand.”

Minseok could feel his heart jump to his throat. His eyes, impossibly wide, are staring at Jongdae in disbelief. Oh Merlin, did he screw up their relationship? Or potential relationship? What would he do?! Where was Kyungsoo when you needed him?! He’d have to alleviate this himself, wouldn’t he? “I don’t like him, Jongdae, if that’s what you’re worried about. I like y—someone I’m very close to.”

Jongdae’s eyes light up at that. Minseok almost sighs in relief. He can’t read the expression on his face though. Was it simply a smile or was there a sign of hope? “Let’s get Honeydukes and then head to the Three Broomsticks. It’s cold and I want butterbeer.”

Minseok rolled his eyes. “You just want to see Madam Rosmerta.”

“No, I genuinely want butterbeer!”

The two had taken bar seats in the pub, given how crowded it had been. Once they sat down, Jongdae drops the bag from the Spintwitches down on the table in front of Minseok.

“What’s this for?” Minseok asks, staring between the bag and Jongdae. Jongdae, who had been smiling at him like he was everything, but Minseok knew better.

“It’s for you.”

“Why?”

“Can you just open it?!”

Minseok laughs before he pulls the item from the bag. He stares at the equipment; a pair of fingerless gloves, a broom servicing kit, and a spare set of Ravenclaw quidditch robes with arm and shin guards.

“I would have gotten you the Firebolt Supreme, but I didn’t want to be poor for Christmas,” Jongdae adds offhandedly. He laughs. “I know, they’re small gifts, but I hope this is alright as a Christmas present.”

“From you, it’s more than enough.” Minseok feels partly guilty, though; he didn’t think to get anything for Jongdae. At least, not at the current moment. Later, he can run ideas through his head about what he could get him. For now, he wants to focus on Jongdae. And only Jongdae. “Thank you, Jongdae. Sincerely.”


	21. Ease Your Mind, Baekhyun (CHANBAEK)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Worried parents worry.

Chanyeol stares across the table with a deepening frown. Baekhyun had not once sipped on his tea and the steam that once indicated that the drink was hot had long since been gone. The older boy’s face was crossed between frustration and immense worry, bright eyes muddled with a dark hue. He pushes the small plate of cookies towards him, but even they did not sway the solemn expression away.

“Are you worried, Baekhyun?” Chanyeol asks finally.

“Like a mother,” he mumbles with a chuckle. He tosses his arms in the air with mild frustration. “Agh! It’s like sending my children off to school and being stuck on the platform of the train station.”

Chanyeol brings his cup of tea to his lips and smiles behind the rim. When Baekhyun decides to finally drink his own tea, he grimaces at how cold it had gotten.

“Why is this tea bad?”

“I don’t know, Hyunnie.”

Baekhyun could see the familiar upturn of a smile behind Chanyeol’s tea cup. His hand reaches for a cookie (which he proceeded to swing around wildly as he talked) . “We’re in our fifth year. All of the boys our friends like are in their sixth. We barely have a year or two left before they’ll be brokenhearted and their loved ones leave.”

“Things will be fine, Baek. I don’t remember my ray of sunshine being so gloomy.”

As though outraged, Baekhyun threw half of his cookie at Chanyeol. The two laughed before the elder finally realized what he had done. He almost pouts until Chanyeol hands him another cookie. As he takes a large bite of the small pastry, he says, “I wish they would just  _ kiss _ already. It beats scampering around the bush to confess.”

“Who are we talking about here?”

“At this point, all of our friends. It seems like they all mutually like one another, but refuse to say a word.”

“Well, knowing what I know about that Slytherin prefect Kris, Tao would never be able to confess unless he wants detention.”

Baekhyun smiles coyly. “Maybe he wants to?”

Chanyeol gives him a funny glare. “No, Baekhyun.”

“Just a thought, Channie.”

“Moving on…” Chanyeol coughs. “Jongin likely won’t be able to say anything. You know how he gets tongue-tied whenever Kyungsoo is around.”

“No no, Nini bear gets flushed and worries too much. He knows what he wants to say, just not how he wants to say it.”

“I don’t know about you, but that death glare he sports sometimes is downright intimidating.”

“Maybe just for you,” Baekhyun laughs.

Chanyeol scrunches his nose. He was convinced that Kyungsoo disliked him. He may like Jongin and he would be wrong if he refused to help him in his plight, but he truthfully wanted to bolt in the other direction if Kyungsoo was even in the same corridor as him. He racks his brain trying to imagine what Jongin might see in the Ravenclaw prefect, but he can’t put his finger to anything.  _ Moving on _ , he told himself.

“What about Sehun? He hasn’t said anything about, you know, romance. Maybe he isn’t interested in anyone?”

Baekhyun barks out in guffaws. The sheer volume at which he cackles is enough to turn a few heads in the shop; some faces expressed annoyance while others were confused. “Yeollie, you’re making my sides hurt!”

Chanyeol stares at him confused. He cracks into a smile when he sees how wide Baekhyun’s boxy smile is, but he’d love some answers.

“You don’t see the way he glances over at the Slytherin table?” Baekhyun splutters.

Chanyeol shrugs. “I always figured he was just displaying that ‘Gryffindor hates Slytherin’ type of pride.”

“Sure. I guess, if he looks over with some of those flirty eyes, then maybe he does hate Slytherin?”

Chanyeol racks his brain again. He does remember that, as of late, Sehun  _ had  _ been casting some occasional glances over at the Slytherin table. He isn’t exactly sure why (or for whom), but he can at least recall seeing it. At one point, Zitao had asked him  _ why _ he was looking “over there,” but Sehun had dismissed the gesture like it was nothing. “You know, you might be onto something.”

“Even if I didn’t sit with you guys at lunch a lot, it only took a few recent occasions to pick up on the fact that, yes indeed, Sehun does have the hots for someone in Slytherin.”

Chanyeol raises a brow. “Do you know who?”

“Well, according to my sources—”

“You mean Johnny.”

“According to my sources—” Baekhyun continues. “—I _have _been told that my Gryffindor spy overheard Sehun talking with Yixing about Xiao, the quarter-veela.”

Chanyeol’s eyes widen until they’re the size of golf balls. “Luhan Xiao? Sehun likes Luhan?”

Baekhyun nods furiously. “Exactly! The thing is, Luhan’s sorta...uptight...about the Slytherin and Gryffindor thing  _ and  _ the blood purity thing. Maybe uptight isn’t the right word for it, but you know, he’s super into the blood purity kind of thing.”

“He doesn’t have to know that Sehun’s muggleborn.”

“He doesn’t, but I’m scared that if he finds out, he’d completely ruin Sehunnie.”

Chanyeol gnaws on his lower lip. He’d die before he let Luhan get to Sehun. Blood and wizard purity be damned, this was Sehun’s heart he would break. “Maybe, if they were close enough, Xiao might be alright with him being muggleborn? Or we could make something up or try and avoid the topic altogether?”

“I’d like it if we can avoid breaking Sehun’s heart, Yeol.”

He nods. After a pause, he murmurs, “I know. Me too”

The two sit in silence for a few moments. During that time, they listened to idle chatter around the tea shop while focusing on their own drinks and snacks.

With a deep breath, Baekhyun exhales a jumbled “Readytogo?”

Chanyeol nods, trying for a smile. He places his arm on the table, hand waiting for Baekhyun’s. “Don’t worry about it, Baek. Time will dictate how their attempts at wooing their crushes goes. Besides…” He laughs. “...You still have Johnny and Jaehyun to worry about.”

Baekhyun rolls his eyes, fitting his hand in Chanyeol’s. “Don’t get me started on those lovebirds.”

“Then we’ll just focus on  _ us  _ for the rest of the day. We’ll go to Honeydukes first to buy a boatload of candy with the money we saved in the jar on our bedside table. Then we’ll stop at Zonko’s Joke Shop to buy some goodies to prank our friends. And then to end our trip, we’ll stop at The Three Broomsticks for butterbeer.”

“We literally just had cookies. Now you want to go to Honeydukes  _ and  _ get butterbeer?”

“If we’re going out, you bet we’re going to get high on candy. At least to ease the mood.”

Baekhyun flashes a warm smile. “You’re an idiot, Chanyeol.”

“Well, I’m your idiot, Baekhyun.”

The couple, after having stopped at Zonko’s Joke Shop and Honeydukes, made their way to The Three Broomsticks. The inn was crowded, as it was normally, and the two resorted to grabbing a corner booth near a fireplace. While Baekhyun went to order their drinks and a few cornish pasties (because having only pastries at the tea shop was far from filling), Chanyeol took the time to rifle through their recent purchases. Dungbombs, Frog Spawn Soap, and Hiccoughing Sweets from Zonko’s, perfect for their eventual prank night around Hogwarts. Chocolate Cauldrons, Chocolate Frogs, various cakes from Honeydukes...it was perfect for their soon-to-happen picnic at the boathouse. Chanyeol smiled, more to himself than anyone else. As soon as Baekhyun came back, they could plan their two date nights.

Though when Baekhyun did come back, he looked like an overly excited puppy carrying their food and drink. He was almost jumping when he sat down.

“I just saw our boys,” he exclaims with a hushed voice. He points at various seats around the pub.

When Chanyeol’s eyes follow the directions of his finger, he does find their fellow horsemen. Zitao was sitting with Kris a few tables away from them, closer to the bar. Jongin was with Kyungsoo close to the fireplace where the two were situated. At the far end of the pub, in one of the more secluded tables, were Sehun and Luhan. Near the table closest to the stairs were Junmyeon and Yixing. Finally, the two who Chanyeol could only assume were Kyungsoo’s friends sat at the bar.

“Tao’s with the Slytherin prefect over there,” Baekhyun continued. “Nini is with Kyungsoo just there, Sehun is with Luhan way over yonder. Junmyeon and Yixing are right there, and you remember the Ravenclaw quidditch captain that ran into Nini during the game, right? That’s probably him at the bar with his friend...or boyfriend...at the bar.”

“So for their dates, intentional or not, they ended up at the Three Broomsticks all at the same time?”

“Oh if only they were at Madam Puddifoot’s! It would be the perfect date!”

Chanyeol and Baekhyun glance around once more. They smiled and allowed themselves the chance to relax just before they would return to Hogwarts.


	22. The Next Few Steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casual debriefings about how the friends' dates went.
> 
> [Sorta filler chapter for those who might have skipped certain ship chapters.]

Zitao waved down the path as Yifan walked towards his small group of friends. A faint blush was on his cheeks, along with a small smile. The familiar chatter from Baekhyun and Chanyeol wasn’t far behind him. Indeed, when he turned around, the couple had raced over to him, excited as ever. On Chanyeol’s arm dangled a bag of sweets from Honeydukes.

“Did it go well?” Baekhyun squeaks. “As you predicted?”

“I think so. I mean, I learned his name and we talked about our parents. That’s something, right?”

Chanyeol scrunched his eyebrows together. “You learned his name?”

“It’s complicated” is all Zitao could manage. Genuinely, it was. If Yifan trusted him to keep his name underwraps, then well...he would. He’ll tell them eventually...when the right time calls.

“The important thing is that you’re making progress! Soon, you’ll have your favorite spot at the castle in no time! That place where you first met or you confessed,” Baekhyun adds almost dreamily. “Did you two go anywhere?”

“Just the Three Broomsticks.”

“Like everyone else.”

Zitao rolls his eyes. Walking up the main road of Hogsmeade was Jongin with Kyungsoo. They parted ways as Kyungsoo joined his friends, both of which were waiting anxiously. The four of them heard a loud wail before Jongin had officially joined them.

“How was it, Nini bear?” Baekhyun coos.

“We went to the bookstore and the greengrocers. He paid for my butterbeer.” Jongin smiles wide. “He seemed happy when we went out. I can only hope that I’m doing something right.”

The four take a quick glance over to Kyungsoo and his friend group.

“Well, he still looks happy, so I think you are,” Baekhyun beams.

“Any idea where Sehun is?” Chanyeol asks aloud as he looks down the road. Still no familiar figure approaches them. Any and all students were continuing up towards the castle.

“Kyungsoo and I saw him on our way out! He said he’d meet us back at the castle,” Jongin adds. He notices the way Baekhyun and Chanyeol almost wince. “He’ll be fine if you two are worried. He...almost insisted that we just meet him there.”

“Any idea why?”

“Two words, Tao. Luhan Xiao,” Baekhyun states firmly. “I just hope that Slytherin doesn’t do anything to our little Sehunnie.”

“I guess we’ll just head back up then,” Zitao sighs. “He’ll explain it to us later.”

“No no, he’ll explain it to  _ you boys _ later,” Baekhyun corrects. “ _ I  _ have to check in with my own little group and hope that they’ve made some progress with their own relationship too.”

* * *

Kyungsoo was, admittedly, not as frustrated as he thought he would be once he had rejoined his friends. He won’t deny that it feels almost awkward to be with them, especially if they’ve made steps in the more-than-friends direction. Something told him that maybe they didn’t make any next move, though. They still seemed to be bouncing around one another, almost as if the day didn’t happen. Merlin, he ditched them for a reason!

“Welcome back to your friends,” Minseok greets almost sarcastically.

“Why did you ditch us, Soo?!” Jongdae wails. The tone in his pitched cry was riddled with mirth just as much as Minseok’s was laced with blatant sarcasm.

“Did neither of you make any progress while I was gone?!” Kyungsoo asks, practically bewildered. He did see that Minseok’s scarf was around Jongdae’s neck, but apart from that, it seems like nothing changed.

They looked at him like he was crazy.

Kyungsoo looked at Minseok, waiting for answers. He could see him mouthing, “I’ll tell you later.” Resolutely, he nods towards the castle.

“Where did you and Jongin go,” Jongdae inquires. He was hoping to break the thin thread of tension between them. Plus, he was genuinely curious. It was the first time in a while where he’s seen Kyungsoo look so happy.

“We stopped at Tomes and Scrolls and the greengrocers. Then we had butterbeer together.” For a moment, Kyungsoo almost looked panicked. Minseok and Jongdae hadn’t ever seen him look so distressed, even if it was for a few seconds. “I think I made a fool of myself.”

Minseok purses his lips. “Considering you hardly ever do, this is serious. What happened?”

“I...may...have wiped his upper lip without knowing. Almost like it was on instinct.”

Jongdae gave him a reassuring smile. He’ll admit, the idea of Kyungsoo stepping out of line was funny if anything. He withheld any laughter to avoid making his friend feel any worse. “If he didn’t say anything, I don’t think he minded. Maybe he has a crush on you too?”

Kyungsoo nods. Minseok placed a hand on his shoulder. “Try not to worry too much about it. When the time comes, you can tell him.”

* * *

“I suppose I’ll say thank you for the butterbeer and candy, but you didn’t have to walk with me back to the castle, Oh.”

“I wanted to,” Sehun insisted. It wasn’t a complete lie. He  _ did _ want to walk with Luhan back to the school. Sure, part of the reason was to make sure that Luhan made it back safely, but he genuinely did like being beside him. Even if they were in different houses that would never match up, he still felt some comfort next to him.

“It isn’t because I’m a veela, is it?”

“I promised you that I wouldn’t do anything that you aren’t comfortable with. I intend to keep my word.”

“That isn’t what I meant by that, Sehun,” Luhan mutters with a bitter chuckle. “Let me guess, you’re under the impression that because I’m a veela, even if it’s only a quarter, I need someone to watch my back in case anything happens.”

Sehun stopped dead in his tracks. Luhan stops not far ahead of him. Was that how Luhan saw this? He wasn’t wrong, maybe even far from it, but it isn’t like there weren’t a million other reasons on his tongue. His eyes scan the Slytherin’s face, trying to read between the deep frown and accusatory gaze. He took a deep breath. “I don’t see you as anything less if you’re a veela or not. I’m not going to treat you differently because you’re a veela. I wouldn’t know if you were unless you told me, I wouldn’t be able to tell. And even if I did, I wanted to walk with you back to the castle because I like you.”

Luhan stares at him with wide eyes. Sehun only realized what he said after he had finished speaking, and he wished he could apparate off the spot. He also wished that his friends were with him to at the very least console him about what a huge mistake he made by accidentally admitting to his crush that he liked him.

Amidst the heavy silence, Sehun is the first to make any point to move. But instead of walking towards the castle, he heads in the direction back towards Hogsmeade. “I’ll catch you later, Luhan.”

Luhan nods, still lost for words. He watches as Sehun approaches a group of people that he later realizes are the Gryffindor’s friends. With a sigh, he turns and continues back up the path towards the castle alone.


	23. Forget What You Knew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Several weeks past since their Hogsmeade trip, and Luhan finds that everything he thought he knew has been flipped upside down.

Luhan wakes up maybe just a little bit too late for his potions class. It isn’t his fault that every single one of his roommates were loud and rowdy (except for Zitao). He rushes out the common room and down the grand staircase with his dark hair flying with the wind, robes sliding off his shoulders just slightly, and shoe laces just starting to come loose because he couldn’t be bothered to tie them before he left. He manages to make it across the castle and into the potions classroom without being too late (okay, maybe five minutes late but he doesn’t get a lecture from the potions professor). All eyes are on him, so he straightens out (which doesn’t take long) and goes to an empty seat near the back of the classroom.

“Alright, students, gather around!” The potions professor calls. Luhan stifles a groan because he literally  _ just  _ sat down. He pushes his way to the front of the group, standing what he felt was a hair too close to the cauldron. “Today, we will be talking about the love potion Amortentia once again to prepare you for the unit on antidotes. As a reminder for the class, can anyone tell me what it is? Mister Xiao! Can you remind the class about the potion”

Luhan sighs, but does as he’s told. “Amortentia,” he drawls, “is also referred to as love potion. It’s classified as highly dangerous, probably illegal. It has a mother-of-pearl sheen to it. The steam that rises from it curls. The potion itself doesn’t create actual love, just causes its drinker to fall in love with the person who administers it to them.”

There’s an applause from the professor. “Correct, Mister XIao! Ten points to Slytherin!

“As Mister Xiao said, Amortentia is a love potion. Now, one thing he forgot to mention was that the potion itself emits an aroma unique to everyone who inhales it. To demonstrate this, Mister Xiao, if you would please.”

Luhan stills and stares wide eyed at the professor. What? He wanted him to smell it?

“Go on, Mister Xiao.”

So Luhan steps forward, closer to the potion. The steam curls into his nostrils as he inhales. His breathing falters for a second.

“Could you please describe for us what you smell? Remember, students, the scent is unique to everyone.”

Luhan takes a deep breath. The smells are intoxicating. “Butterscotch and vanilla, a worn broomstick, and…” He pauses. The last smell has his brain going haywire. It’s both overpowering, but also refreshing. He closes his eyes, trying to smell it more without looking like he’s lost control. Then he remembers where he is, how long of a pause he’s administered, and says, “something like sandalwood near the ocean” Then with flushed cheeks, he takes a step back and keeps his eyes trained with the sheen of the potion.

There are whispers erupting around him. It isn’t like anyone is being inconspicuous either; he can just about hear  _ everyone _ .

“Xiao has a crush on someone, he has to!” One girl whispers.

“Which house do you think they’re in?” A boy says in a low tone.

“Do you think it’s a Gryffindor?” Another girl asks.

“Silence, students! Now for practice, you will brew the antidote for love potion. The ingredients, Wiggentree twigs, castor oil, and the extract of Gurdyroot, can be found at your stations. Turn to page ninety-four and begin. The potion will be due at the end of class.”

Luhan returns to his seat and isolates himself from the other students. As he starts with the first few steps (adding four wiggentree twigs and stirring until the liquid is a bright orange), his head starts to recollect the scents that he caught. Butterscotch and vanilla, a worn broomstick, sandalwood by the beach.

The last one was far too specific to be anything unimportant. Butterscotch and vanilla reminded him of butterbeer. A worn broomstick was self explanatory. Sandalwood by the beach...where would he have smelt something like that?

To make matters worse, even if it did happen several weeks ago, he still had the memory of Sehun telling him that he liked him on that fateful afternoon. He regrets not saying anything, even if it was something akin to rejection. Not that he would want to reject Sehun...he’d break his own heart too. At the time, he chalked up Sehun’s liking for him to only having fun with him at Hogsmeade. Ever since, he wondered if it really was Sehun liking him.

Merlin, the only person on his mind was Sehun, Sehun, Sehun.

His head had been preoccupied to the point where a thick plume of smoke had risen out of his cauldron and caused him to cough violently. A few heads turned in his direction, the professor came to ask what had happened, and Luhan, thoroughly embarrassed, tried to cover up by saying he attempted to make the antidote without instructions. A few people sniggered, the professor requested that he started over immediately so he wouldn’t lose time. And Luhan  _ did _ end up starting over, barely finishing the damn antidote with a few minutes to spare.

After the class was dismissed, Luhan had rushed out of the classroom and to the nearest boys’ bathroom. He smelled like smoke and he hated every second of it. When he entered the bathroom off of the long gallery, he almost ran face first into Minseok.

“We really need to stop doing this, Kim,” Luhan snarled as he pushed past.

Minseok grabs his arm. “Luhan, we need to talk.”

“Can it wait? I’d like to rid myself of this smell before my next class, even if it isn’t for another few hours.”

“Now, Xiao.”

Luhan rolled his eyes, but stood still. “What did you want to talk about?”

“That boy you were with at Hogsmeade. Who was he?”

“Why do you care?”

“I’m just concerned for you.”

Luhan can see that familiar glint in his eyes. He knows it, perhaps all too well, and he doesn’t want to relive history. Resolutely and softly, he says, “We both moved on, Minseok. It’s for the best that we don’t get tangled up in each other’s love life anymore.”

“Luhan, I’m trying to talk to you from...I want to talk to you as a friend, even if you don’t think of me as one anymore. I’m not jealous, alright? I just want to know if you’re with the right person.”

“I won’t repeat myself again, Minseok. We parted ways, let’s keep it that way. I won’t intrude in your affair with Jongdae if you don’t intrude in my...whatever...with…”

Minseok is staring at him with an expression crossed between pain and concern. “The Gryffindor seeker...you like him, right?”

“Why do you want to know?” He paused. A half smile tugs the corner of his lip up. “Is it that obvious or are you just really good at legilimency?”

“I had an idea when I saw you at Hogsmeade. I wasn’t sure what to think at first, all I know is I was concerned.”

Luhan looked around the bathroom before he motions for Minseok to follow him inside. He paces back and forth for a few minutes as the Ravenclaw waits for him to speak. Then he stops and turns to face him. “I’ll be upfront with you, Minseok. I don’t know how I feel about Sehun.

“I was convinced that he was as annoying as his friend group. We had a duel. The loser owed the winner butterbeer. After I lost, I thought I was going to hate his guts for the rest of my life.”

“Because he took your title as champion?”

Luhan shakes his head. “Forget the bloody title. I roped myself into something that I don’t know if I have any way out of anymore. It feels like every other day I was thinking about him. After Hogsmeade...he told me that he...words were said and they’ve been on my mind ever since.”

Minseok takes a step forward. He waits, trying to see if Luhan would tell him to back off. Everything he could take in visually told him that Luhan didn’t want him to leave. He grasps Luhan’s shoulders. “Maybe I’m one to talk, but you should tell him, Luhan. If you both like each other, you should say something. He did. He’s just waiting for you to confirm it.”

“Things can’t be that simple. What about the Gryffindor versus Slytherin thing? If I say something or do something that disproves that whole thing exists, I’d be completely ruined.”

“Would you rather lose your reputation or lose the one person who makes you smile?” Minseok sighs, dropping his hands from Luhan’s shoulders. “Think about it, Luhan.”

Luhan kept his eyes trained on the floor. The words Minseok had said repeated in his head, the flurry of Sehun’s words not far after. He would have a lot to think about, whether he liked it or not. As Minseok leaves, Luhan utters a quiet “thanks” before he resumes focus on his robes.


	24. Don't Hold Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To put it simply, things start to ramp up for the enamored friends.

Sehun prodded at the sausage link on his plate absentmindedly. His gaze bore into the orange liquid in his goblet, still filled to the brim. He knew it had been weeks since he had confessed, yet it still egged him on.

The same night he had gotten back to his dormitory, it had been a near impossible task to not lash out or break down in front of his roommates. Yixing had given him a calming draught so he could sleep, but he still woke just as distressed the following morning. And the subsequent days after that.

It isn’t like he could blame Luhan for his reaction either; he knew what he said was a lot to take in. He imagined that if he were in the same position, he would experience the same amount of shock. But he didn’t think that he would avoid any and all interaction with him. Any time he ran into Luhan in the corridors of the castle, the shorter man almost seemed to freeze like a deer caught in headlights. Then he’d turn around and make a beeline down the opposite end of the hall.

At this point, he wished he had a time turner. He could reverse time to when they first met and go out of his way to prevent their interactions in the first place.

A hand massages the back of his neck again. The action, welcome as always, brought Sehun back to reality. He blinked a few times, recalling where he was and what day it was.

“Are you sure that you’re alright, Sehun?” Junmyeon asked gently. He had taken to sitting with them ever since Jongin, Chanyeol, and Baekhyun had told him about what happened. It was a bit odd at first, but the group had gotten used to having another presence with them. “I can see about writing a letter to excuse you from classes today if you need the time to clear your head.”

Chanyeol clears his throat and chimes in. “Junmyeon, could you also write a letter for me? I don’t feel so well.”

The Hufflepuff prefect rolls his eyes as Sehun chuckles. “I’ll be alright, Junmyeon.”

“Now is an awful time for O.W.L.s to come around,” Zitao sighs. “On top of whatever mess we’re trapped in, we still have to study.”

“Your exams won’t be that bad, Zitao. Trust me,” Junmyeon assures him. “As long as you’ve been paying attention in your classes and you’ve been doing your assignments, you should be fine.”

“Speaking of,” Chanyeol chimes in again. “Can I borrow your notes, Tao? I...lost mine.”

Junmyeon looked as though he was going to faint.

Jongin laughed. “Tao, how are things going between you and Kris?”

“I swear, I’m probably just as confused as Sehun is.” Zitao groaned. “It’s like everything we talked about didn’t happen. It feels like he’s just playing with me.”

“Kris can be almost stubborn sometimes,” Junmyeon says after regaining his composure. “He doesn’t normally open up to people. But if he is toying with you, it could mean he’s starting to trust you. Give him some time, Zitao.”

As his friends continued their conversation with Junmyeon, Sehun took a chance and snuck a look over at the Slytherin table. He isn’t sure what he expected; the table was devoid of the familiar short locks of his veela. What he’d honestly give to talk with Luhan again, at least to give things a second try. Maybe then he wouldn’t butcher anything so badly...

“I’ll check in after my rounds are done,” he heard Junmyeon call. He stops his search and waves the prefect off.

“Alright. I love Junmyeon, but now we can talk about my dinner plans.” Chanyeol withdraws the Marauder’s Map from his bag. He opens the folded parchment, repeats the magical phrase, and then immediately taps on the location of the boathouse. Ignoring all of the other names on the map, Sehun, Jongin, and Zitao look at the boathouse. “I had a look at the map for a while now, and it seems like prefects very rarely ever patrol down that way. Especially on Friday evenings.”

“You say that, but we got caught by a prefect when we went,” Zitao reminded him. “I can’t be the one who gets us out of trouble all the time, especially if it’s with Kris.”

Chanyeol laughs and slaps him on the back. “Well, Tao, I can’t help you anyway. Baekhyun and I are going to be on our date.”

“So you’re sacrificing your friends?”

“No, no. ‘Sacrificing’ is a bad term. You three are our lookouts.”

While Zitao had his mouth hanging open and Jongin stared at him with wide eyes, Sehun couldn’t help but laugh. “This won’t end well for anyone, Chanyeol.”

“You say that, Sehunnie, but I like to think otherwise. I think that my anniversary date with Baekhyun could be the start of something else for you three.”

“If you insist,” Zitao groans, especially after seeing the wink Chanyeol sent his way. He is hopeful, though. 

Before Chanyeol could say anything more, Jongin stands from the table. “I’m heading out early tonight. I’ll see you at the dorms, Chanyeol. Goodnight, Sehun, Tao.”

Sehun waves him off before turning his head. He catches the inquiring look on the Slytherin’s face.

“That’s the seventh time he’s done this,” he mumbled.

Sehun shrugged, trying to think nothing of it. “Maybe he needs to clear his head too?” He turned to watch Jongin push through the Great Hall doors. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw a Ravenclaw chase after him.

* * *

Kyungsoo watched with bated breath as Minseok stabbed his fork into the cube of steak on his plate. For the past few weeks since their Hogsmeade trip, both Minseok and Jongdae had been acting...odd...with one another. Well, far from odd in Kyungsoo’s eyes; he knew why they were acting up. It always had to do with their undeniable love for one another. He still didn’t know why they couldn’t confess.

Before Minseok could continue to stab his steak again, Kyungsoo intervened and pushed the poor chunk of meat out of its misery. The elder looked up at him slightly peeved.

“Don’t start with me, Min. It’s not proper to stab your food if you aren’t going to eat it,” he lightly (and playfully) reprimanded. “You’re upset that Jongdae isn’t with us?”

“He keeps saying it’s because he has homework, but he’s never skipped a meal with us. It has to be something else.”

Kyungsoo shrugged a fry into his mouth to refrain from saying anything negative. He didn’t want to prod at the very obvious open wound. Though he knows that if Minseok doesn’t say anything, he might just burst. “Tell me about it. Why couldn’t you tell him at Hogsmeade?”

“What was I supposed to say? ‘Hey, Dae, I really like you!’ He’d probably think I meant it in a really friendly or brotherly type of way.”

Kyungsoo purses his lips, but nods regardless. If only Minseok knew the truth. He could easily recall the amount of times he’s had the same conversation with Jongdae, except Jongdae’s excuse was always, “He probably still likes Luhan.” Now that he thinks about it, he’s heard that and “Minseok likes girls” more than anything else. He shrugs again. “Why don’t you talk to him, just the two of you? Heart to heart?”

“I don’t think that would work. I don’t think he’s ever expressed any interest. You’ve seen how he reacts to my flirting!”

Kyungsoo sniggers. “Min, he at least  _ acknowledges _ your flirting. Sure, it might not be the response you want, but he does...react. Besides, your flirting is kind of gross.”

“To you,” Minseok hums with a coy smirk. “But in all seriousness, how am I supposed to get through to him if he doesn’t acknowledge anything that I’m doing?”

Kyungsoo stares at him. He thought back to what Minseok had told him about his encounter with Luhan. He shrugged; it couldn’t hurt to tell him the same advice, right? Besides, the way he saw it, if one of either of his friends confessed first, it might prompt the other to follow not long after. They’d be doing each other a favor. “Follow the advice that you told Xiao, and tell Jongdae. I’m tired of you both chasing each others’ tails around while attempting to be discreet about it. I’ve held out for four...five...nearly six years now for either of you to just say something to each other…”

He sighs again, exasperation made obvious. “I can’t be the buffer between you and Jongdae anymore, Min. I know you’re scared to tell him because you don’t want to ruin anything that the two of you have. But believe me when I say that holding out is doing more harm than good.”

Minseok straightens up, hands clasped together tightly. His knuckles turn white, nails digging into the flesh of his hand. He stares at the prefect badge glittering on Kyungsoo’s chest. “If I mess it up—”

“I’ve got your back. You won’t though.”

Minseok gives him a thankful smile. As he glances up, he takes note of Jongin, the Hufflepuff seeker and Kyungsoo’s Hogsmeade date running out of the hall. He nods his head in Jongin’s direction, prompting Kyungsoo to turn his head.

“Now take the advice you told me and go talk to him, Kyungsoo. You’re doing more harm than good by holding out.”

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, but still, he returned the smile. “I’ll see you after my rounds, Min.”

“See you then, Soo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, it's been some time hasn't it? You'll probably notice a few things if you've been reading for awhile now. (Most prominently, I shortened chapter titles to only include the title...omitted the locations because I felt I elaborated them enough in the chapter...yeah, it took me awhile to finally do it, huh?)
> 
> I'll be real. This story is almost wrapping up. Up next, and I would gladly take any and all comments on this, are the famous get-together scenes. There are six total, one for each ship. Each moment I tried to make unique, and when they are posted, I hope that they are all satisfactory. :) Now the big question is, how do you want me to post it? Originally, I was going to post them like how I posted the Hogsmeade scenes, but setting-wise, the majority of the scenes do not take place at the same time. If readers prefer I post them all at once, do feel free to let me know!
> 
> Thank you for reading and sticking with this fic through it's current journey. It's a rocky road and this fic has gone through several iterations in writing prior to posting, and I thank you for bearing with me. Catch you all soon in the next chapter!
> 
> xoxo Argent/Rose


	25. Make A Move (KAISOO)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyungsoo makes his rounds on the seventh floor and, intentionally or unintentionally, is asked to partake in a dance with the person he has his heart set on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is just ~2016 words of PURE FLUFF.

Kyungsoo had run as fast as he possibly could to try and catch up with Jongin. He isn’t sure how the Hufflepuff is going so fast (though chalked it up to his companion’s longer legs). He lost him halfway up the Grand Staircase when he had to stop and catch his breath.

It dawns on him not a second later that he doesn’t know what he would say if and when he found Jongin. Even the idea of trying to find one person in a bloody castle sounded mad. He sighs and straightens himself out. When he continues up the stairs, it isn’t with any interest to find Jongin. Instead, he resigns himself to only focusing on his prefect rounds for the night.

Once he reaches the seventh floor landing, he takes a deep breath and opens the door. His rounds were no different than any other night; patrol down one corridor, turn and patrol down another until the late evening. He would do as he had been instructed, making sure to keep an eye out for anyone out late, but he still felt absent from his task.

Truth be told, he thought about his date at Hogsmeade a fair bit. He wasn’t wrong when he told Jongin that it had been the first time since he had treated anyone in a while. Well, anyone that wasn’t his small group of friends.

But he never admitted that it was also his first real date, if he could really call it one.

He’d like to call it a date.

Jongin was also the first person that Kyungsoo had been willing to let into his life. While he did tell Minseok and Jongdae a lot about his life outside of school, he didn’t think he ever told anyone more than he told Jongin. Plus, Jongin was probably the first person he ever talked with who seemed like he was genuinely interested in their conversation. It wasn’t impossible to see the affection and interest in Jongin’s eyes or on his face (Kyungsoo felt it was really easy to see it, truth be told).

Talking with Jongin in that moment...Kyungsoo felt like he knew the boy since childhood. It was rare that he ever felt that way with anyone, even his friends.

He sighs. “Concentrate, Kyungsoo,” he reminds himself. “You’re on this floor to patrol, not daydream about Jongin.”

Before he rounds the corner into the next section of the corridor, his ears pick up a soft, distant melody. It sounded a lot like an orchestra. Puzzled, Kyungsoo takes a few steps in the direction of the music. Over the highs and lows of the orchestra are what sounded like footsteps. Last he checked, he was the only person assigned to this floor. If there was a student here, he’d have to give them detention.

_ Just get it over with,  _ he tells himself. With a deep breath, he starts walking at breakneck speed towards the source of the noise. He turns one corner, then the next, until he rounds the last corner. To his surprise, he finds a student dancing.

It was Jongin.

“Jongin?”

The poor boy nearly trips over his own feet in shock, wheeling around this way and that until he has his attention on Kyungsoo. “Kyungsoo! Hi!”

Kyungsoo wants to laugh, not because he finds the situation humorous but cute. He comes to the conclusion that laughing probably wasn’t the best idea, given how overwhelmingly scared Jongin looked. He tries for a gentle smile. “What are you doing up here?”

“Nothing,” Jongin says quickly. His attempt at lying wasn’t difficult to notice; the tips of his ears had turned pink and he was fidgeting with his fingers far too much. “I’m sorry, Kyungsoo. I can explain everything if you would let me.”

“I’m not going to give you detention or report you to the Head of Hufflepuff if that’s what you’re worried about,” Kyungsoo assures him. “I just wanted to know why you were dancing up here.”

Jongin pauses the music on his mini player, staring at the small device. His cheeks had turned a soft pink. “I mentioned to you at Hogsmeade that my family and I live in Godric’s Hollow. I mentioned that after my father had passed, my family and I were in grief for the longest time. What I didn’t mention to you was that I...really like dancing.”

Jongin meets his gaze now, taking an even breath before he continues. “I remember my father kept encouraging me to dance, even if it was just as a hobby. I danced with my mom a lot, hoping that it made her feel better. It didn’t completely take away our grief, but I remember how much she and my sisters would smile when we were dancing together.

The Hufflepuff dorms and the common room don’t really give you much space or any privacy to dance. So I started sneaking off early after dinner to try and get in as much time to dance as I could.”

Jongin laughed. “It’s probably silly and childish, but I only hope that if there’s ever a Yule Ball, I would be able to dance there.”

“So you’ve been practicing a waltz in case there was one,” Kyungsoo adds. He kicks at the floor for a few minutes before working up the gut to ask, “Anyone in particular that you would want to dance at the Yule Ball with?”

Jongin’s cheeks deepened in color. He turned his attention to the floor. “To be honest, I want to dance with you.”

Kyungsoo found it impossible to contain his smile. He felt peculiarly hot underneath his school robes. His heart felt like it had also started racing impossibly fast. He shakes his head. “I don’t know how to break it to you, but I can’t dance.”

“I can teach you!” Jongin exclaims almost immediately. “If...if you want, that is.”

Kyungsoo thinks he’s going to melt. He almost wonders if Jongin feels the same way. He nods, even if the other boy can’t see it. “Yeah. I’d like that.”

Immediately, Kyungsoo walks over to where Jongin is standing and waits for any cue. The taller boy starts by taking Kyungsoo’s hand and propping it on his shoulder before placing his hand on his waist. They slot their hands together before Jongin remembers to turn his music player back on. Sheepishly he plays the mini player and realigns their position.

“Alright,” Jongin says softly. “Just follow my lead and don’t worry too much if you step on my toes.”

Kyungsoo could only nod. He feels far too hot and bothered to think of any words to say. He’s pretty sure that whatever he might say wouldn’t make sense either.

“Take a deep breath, Kyungsoo. Try and relax.”

Kyungsoo’s trying, though it’s difficult when he’s in close proximity with Jongin. But he does take a deep breath and attempts to mirror the steps that Jongin takes.

Slowly but surely and after a few accidents where he does step on the tip of Jongin’s shoes, Kyungsoo did start learning the steps. He closes his eyes, trying to take in the scene. Slow dancing with Jongin on the seventh floor, just the two of them, hands on his hips as his hands had moved to the base of Jongin’s neck. He takes another deep breath, exhaling slowly. When he opens his eyes again, he meets soft brown irises. It was easy to get lost in them, to drown in the overwhelming comfort that they held.

The music had long since stopped, the mini player light blinking to indicate that the song had finished. The soft crackle of the nearby sconce was muffled. The only song that Kyungsoo could hear was the beat of his own racing heart. His eyes flicker between Jongin’s eyes and his lips. Maybe his stomach does a few flips and maybe his heart skips a beat. He can’t really tell. Maybe it’s a trick of his mind when Jongin moves closer. He can’t really tell.

It’s only when a pair of soft, full lips meet his that he can tell what’s happening. He knows his brain has gone haywire. He knows that the air that was in his lungs had been seeped away. He knows that the gentle pressure against his lips is real and he knows what it is doing to him. Two heartbeats finally shared as one, and when it came time for their lips to pull apart, he knew that he wanted them to meet again.

When their eyes open, they can only stand and stare at one another. They take in how close they are, take in the sensation of having a pair of lips on theirs. It’s overwhelming, it was like heaven.

“I really, really like you, Kyungsoo,” Jongin whispers finally. “I don’t know how obvious that is, but when I say I like you...I think I love you.”

Kyungsoo smiles, eyes turning into half crescents. “And I think I love you too, Jongin.”

  
  


Jongin and Kyungsoo stood outside of the Hufflepuff dormitory, fingers laced together. After their dance together, Kyungsoo had offered to walk him back to the dormitories, and who was Jongin to say no? Now that they were here, he didn’t want to leave, even if he knew he would see him later around the castle.

“Was the dance okay?” Jongin asks softly. He stares between Kyungsoo’s heart shaped lips and doe eyes again.

“Perfect. It was perfect,” the prefect sighs. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Jongin. Good night.”

“Good night, Kyungsoo,” Jongin returns. Before Kyungsoo could leave, he gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. He watches with a playful smile as the older boy’s cheeks heat flush pink. “Sleep well.” He retreated into the dormitories before Kyungsoo could think to do anything else.

He walks through the dormitory and into the bedrooms. There, he was engulfed in a tight hug by both Baekhyun and Chanyeol. The two were laughing and cheering when they let him go, their words almost lost to him until Junmyeon asked them to calm down.

“Did you do it?” Chanyeol asks excitedly. He was jumping up and down like a happy beagle wagging its tail.

“Do what?” Jongin asks playfully.

“Nini, please just tell us. I don’t think my anxious heart can take it anymore!” Baekhyun sighs dramatically. He feigns fainting before Chanyeol hits his arm.

Jongin nods and tries to hide his smile. “I told him, yeah.”

“AND?!”

“He likes me.”

Both Chanyeol and Baekhyun burst into a cry and scream, dancing around the bedroom with joy. Jongin laughs and retreats to his bed while Junmyeon tried his best to calm them down. Eventually, after settling down slightly, Jongin told them about everything that happened (and unintentionally incited another wild party).

  
  


When Kyungsoo returned to the Ravenclaw dormitories, he found Minseok and Jongdae sitting on Minseok’s bed at the far end of the room. He didn’t care to ask about them, not when his mind is still processing everything that happened and his heart had yet to calm down. He couldn’t hide the smile on his face, which had piqued his friends’ curiosity.

“You’re in a happy mood despite doing rounds,” Minseok notes. He watches as Kyungsoo almost skips to his bed, which was more than odd to him.

Jongdae didn’t think anything of it. In fact, he seemed to have been infected by Kyungsoo’s happy bug because he was smiling too. “Did something happen?”

“A lot happened,” Kyungsoo answers simply.

Almost instantly, Jongdae picked up on his answer. “Was it Jongin?”

Kyungsoo’s smile was gummy. His eyes were in the shape of half crescents again that night. He tries hiding his reaction. “He likes me, Jongdae. He told me he likes me.”

While Minseok stares at him with complete shock, Jongdae let out a loud cheer. Perhaps even loud enough to echo in the entire dormitory. Kyungsoo couldn’t bring it in himself to care about how loud they probably were. He joins in on their cheer, telling his friends everything that happened that evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize from the bottom of my heart for not posting for so long. I really did not count on being so busy with school; made the premature mistake of thinking that I would have a lot of time in between when I should have realized that wasn't the case. But we are in the home stretch with this fic (silently cries), and most of the chapters are about getting together. I hope that you will enjoy it. :)
> 
> ALSO! Just saw that we hit 100 kudos! Thank you sincerely from the bottom of my heart for all your support! It really means the world to me. What originally started as a story just hoping to share my EXO-Hogwarts headcanons has turned into something of a passion project, and it really makes me happy to see that many of you also enjoy it. Thank you sincerely for your support and your unending patience. I really appreciate it!
> 
> Thank you for reading this chapter! Please feel free to let me know your thoughts!


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